Ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from two varieties of an Andean native potato (Solanum phureja) and evaluation of their antioxidant activity

Abstract

The objective of this research study was to evaluate the content of total phenols (TP) and the antioxidant activity of two varieties of native potatoes (Solanum phujera) grown in southern Colombia. The varieties of native potatoes have a great potential due to their high content of bioactive compounds. Two experimental designs were carried out, the first to determine the best solvent to extract TP and the second to evaluate the effect of using ultrasound in TP extraction. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the ABTS+ and DPPH methods. The best solvent was 70 % acetone (v/v) and the application of ultrasound increased TP extraction by 118 to 195 %. TP content was greater in the peel than in the flesh. It is concluded that the examined S. phujera varieties are good sources of antioxidant compounds, but the presence of compounds such as anthocyanins requires further identification and quantification.