Content of Selected Flavonoids in 100 Edible Vegetables and Fruits

Abstract

The objective of this work was to quantify the potential anticancer flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, apigenin and luteolin) by a rapid, reliable and accurate reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) among 100 edible vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Harbin city, China. The predominant flavonoids found in the largest abundance in all of the analyzed foods were kaempferol, followed by luteolin and quercetin. The maximum content of quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, apigenin, luteolin and total flavonoids in foods amounted to 379.7±19.7mg kg^-1, 482.0±21.0mg kg^-1, 333.6±14.4mg kg^-1, 139.3±5.2mg kg^-1, 179.5±10.6mg kg^-1 and 853.0mg kg^-1 fresh weight (FW), respectively. Potherb mustard, lettuce (red), toona leaf, celery leaf, garlic, garlic stalk, apple, date, ginger (with peel) and radish leaf (red root, small) were major food sources of flavonols and flavones. This study contribute to the establishment of China's flavonoid database and provide a basis for the assessment of the daily flavonoid intake.