Nutritional traits and antioxidant capacity of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa Planch., cv. Hayward) grown in Italy

This study provides original data on the compositional profile and antioxidant capacity of kiwifruit grown in five orchards of the largest Italian production area (Lazio region). Data on macronutrients (moisture, protein, lipid, carbohydrate), starch, total dietary fiber, oxalic acid, organic acids, minerals, trace elements, and bioactive molecules including ascorbic acid, total polyphenols, carotenoids (lutein and ß-carotene), tocols (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, γ-tocotrienol) content are reported. Kiwifruit was rich in ascorbic acid (mean value 60. mg/100. g). Lutein was the most abundant carotenoid (mean value 0.2. mg/100. g) followed by b-carotene. Among tocols, a-tocopherol was the most abundant (mean value 0.9. mg/100. g) followed by γ-tocotrienol (mean value 0.12. mg/100. g). The antioxidant activity (evaluated by means of FRAP, ABTS, ORAC assays) was significantly higher (P<. 0.05) in Borgo Podgora orchard than in any other one, the fruit of this orchard showed also the highest bioactive molecules content. Antioxidant activity positively correlated with hydrophilic molecules content mostly with ascorbic acid (r= 0.97) suggesting vitamin C as the major contributor to the total antioxidant activity in kiwifruit.