ABSTRACT
Because they exhibit health-promoting effects such as reducing blood pressure and lowering incidences of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of phenolics. (Ames et al., 1993; Ascherio et al., 1992; Block et al., 1992; Cook and Samman, 1996; Facino et al., 1999; Hertog et al., 1993, 1997; Hollman, 2001; Hollman et al., 1996; Huang et al., 1992; Leake, 1997; Middleton and Kandaswami, 1994; Morazzoni and Bombardelli, 1996; Ness and Powless, 1997; Steinmetz and Potter, 1991a, b, 1996; Swanson, 1998; Willet, 1994). Moreover, phenolics and related enzymes affect the quality of fruits and vegetables (Amiot et al., 1997; Brouillard
et al., 1997; Clifford, 1997; Crouzet et al., 1997; Lea, 1992; Macheix and Fleuriet, 1993; Nicolas et al., 1993; Parr and Bowell, 2000; TomásBarberán and Espin, 2001; Tomás-Barberán and Robins, 1997; Zobel, 1997). Some phenolics are unique for certain fruits: for example, cinnamic esters of tartaric acid in grapes (de Simon et al., 1992), phlorizin in apples (Sanoner et al., 1999) and flavanone glycosides in citrus fruits (Louche et al., 1998; Marini and Balestrieri, 1995; Mouly et al., 1994; Ooghe and Detavernier, 1997). However, published data on the content of phenolics in fruits and vegetables are still incomplete and often restricted to a few cultivars.
