Phytochemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Different Cultivars of Prunus salicina Lindl. in Southern China

There are representative Prunus salicina Lindl. (plum) cultivars in the different provinces of Southern China. However, little data are available on the physiochemical characteristics of those plums. In this study, the fruit weight and size, edible rate, rate of juice, color, moisture, total soluble solids, total acids, ascorbic acid (AA), reducing sugar, polysaccharide, total polyphenols, total tannins, total anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, and phenolic composition of 11 plum varieties in Southern China were analyzed. The results showed that the content of reducing sugar, AA, polysaccharide, total polyphenols, total tannins, and total anthocyanins in different cultivars was in the range of 3.09-10.48 g/100 g, 2.30-14.75 mg/100 g dry weight (DW), 0.78-2.20 g/100 g, 20.73-41.18 mg/g DW, 0.42-1.09 mg/g DW, and 1.80-8.95 mg/g DW, respectively. A total of 11 phenolic compounds were identified in plums by ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (UPLC)-QqQ-MS/MS. Cultivar "Da Pao" showed the highest level of total polyphenols, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power values, whereas cultivar "San Hua" had the highest content of total anthocyanins, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt values. Principal component analysis separated cultivars according to their physiochemical characteristics. This study provides reference information for consumers and the further deep processing of those plums.