ABSTRACT
This study investigated the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, as well as the antioxidant activity of extracts of bark and core from apple trees from Belgium and Portugal. Conventional and Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) were tested and compared. Overall, the Portuguese apple trees extracts obtained by MAE exhibited the highest TPC (79.4 ± 3.7 mg GAE/g DW), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH-RSA; 46.6 ± 4.8 mg TE/g DW) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP; 29.8 ± 2.4 mg AAE/g DW). HPLC analysis revealed that phloridzin was the predominant compound in all the obtained extracts of the apple tree bark and core from both countries investigated. This study highlighted the potential of using apple tree extracts as natural antioxidant substances for food and cosmetic applications.
