VARIATION IN STRAWBERRY MICRONUTRIENTS, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT PROFILES: THE COMBINED EFFECT OF GENOTYPE AND STORAGE

The phytochemical, antioxidant and nutritional composition of strawberry fruits seems to be strongly influenced by several pre- and post-harvest factors. The first goal of our work was to evaluate the role played by the genetic background on the composition and nutritional value of strawberries from 9 different genotypes. The second goal was to assess the influence of the storage (short refrigeration) on the micronutrient, phytochemical and antioxidant profiles of strawberry, by evaluating how genotype may affect the keeping quality of the fruits. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin, vitamin C and folate contents of the fruits were measured, and the contribution of individual antioxidant compounds to the TAC was assessed. Cultivar and storage effects on the nutritional quality of strawberries were observed.