Distribution of antioxidant components in roots of different red beets (Beta vulgaris L.) cultivars

The beetroot is typically on the table in winter in form of pickles or juice, but for its nutritional values it would deserve more common consumption. Its curative effect in great part is due to the several vitamins, minerals, and compounds with antioxidant activity. But the division of biological active compounds is very different in the parts of the root. Based on our results, we could compare the differences between the morphology and some inner contents (soluble solid content, colour, betacyanin, betaxanthin, and polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity, and some flavonoids) of two beetroot cultivars. The results of the morphological investigations showed that the 'Cylindre' cultivar had more favourable crop parameters than the 'Alto F1' cultivar. In the 'Cylindre' cultivar the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity were significantly higher than in the 'Alto F1' cultivar. By determination of the betanin contents of the investigated beetroots, our results showed both betacyanin and betaxanthin contents were higher in the 'Cylindre' cultivar. The chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, the cumaric acid have been identified based on the peaks of HPLC in the studied beetroot cultivars.