Phenol Compounds—Qualitative Index in Small Fruits

ABTRACT

Over the past 10 years, researchers have become increasingly interested in polyphenols. The main reason for this interest is the recognition of the antioxidant properties of polyphenols, their great abundance in our diet, and their probable role in the prevention of various diseases associated with oxidative stress, such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (51). Furthermore, polyphenols, which constitute the active substances found in many plants, modulate the activity of a wide range of enzymes and cell receptors (1). In this way, in addition to having antioxidant properties, polyphenols have several other specific biological actions that are poorly understood.

Not all polyphenols are absorbed with equal efficiency. Knowledge of the bioavailability and metabolism of the various polyphenols is necessary in order to evaluate their biological activity within target tissues. The types and distribution of polyphenols in foods and the bioavailability of polyphenols are the topics of our knowledge. Several thousand molecules having a polyphenol structure have been identified in higher plants, and several hundred are found in edible plants. These molecules are secondary metabolites of plants and are generally involved in defense against ultraviolet radiation or aggression by pathogens. These compounds may be classified into different groups as a function of the number of phenols that they contain.

This review aims to describe evidences for the effects of polyphenol consumption on health, and to specify which out of the hundreds of existing polyphenols are likely to provide the greatest protection in the context of preventive nutrition. If these objectives are to be attained, it is first essential to determine the nature and distribution of these compounds in fruits. Such knowledge will allow evaluation of polyphenol intake and enable epidemiologic analysis that will in turn provide an understanding of the relation between the intake of these substances and the risk of development of several diseases.

Keywords:

• small fruits
• phenol compounds
• qualitative index