Phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of gooseberry as affected by in vitro digestion

This study investigated the potential effects of the digestion process on antioxidant properties and individual phenolic compounds of two European gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa): Tixia and Invicta. Gooseberries were digested via an in vitro digestive model with active or heat-inactivated enzymes. Digested and undigested samples were subject to antioxidant assays including total phenolic content (TPC) assay, DPPH radical scavenging assay, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Furthermore, the individual phenolic compounds in gooseberries before and after digestion were extracted and determined. Results revealed that digestion enhances the availability of antioxidants in both gooseberries, where the digested fruits showed higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. In addition, Tixia gooseberry possesses higher antioxidant capacity than Invicta based on TPC, DPPH, and ORAC results. Eight phenolic antioxidants were identified and quantified in Tixia and Invicta gooseberries. Among the identified phonic compounds, only quercetin hydrate was significantly improved by digestion. Our findings indicate that digestion enhances TPC content and antioxidant activity in gooseberries.

► In vitro digestion improves total phenolic content in both gooseberries.
► In vitro digestion improves free radical scavenging activity of both gooseberries.
► Quercetin hydrate in gooseberries was improved by 55% in Invicta and by over 4 folds in Tixia following digestion.