Determination of the Ascorbic Acid Content and the Antioxidant Activity of Different Varieties of Vegetables Consumed in Romania, from Farmers and Supermarkets

Abstract

Vitamin C sustains the health of the human organism. It reduces the risk of chronic diseases and it can help to control arterial hypertension. In addition, it prevents and reduces the risk of developing various heart diseases, it normalizes the level of uric acid in the blood, it can help with the prevention of gout attacks, it helps to prevent iron deficiency and strengthens the immune system. Considering these aspects, it can be stated that a diet rich in vitamin C plays an essential role in a person’s daily food intake. Within the present study, we identified the content of vitamin C in various types of bell peppers and tomatoes consumed in Romania. The vitamin C content was determined by using the titration and the iodometric methods. The research results pointed out that the content of vitamin C in the analyzed bell peppers is between 4.693 and 11.264 mg/ 100 g, and in the analyzed tomatoes is between 0.939 and 4.639 mg/100 g. The antioxidant activity was studied as well, by using the DPPH radical and the Trolox equivalent antioxidative capacity (TEAC). The antioxidant activity was correlated with the content of ascorbic acid, present in the samples. The studies revealed that the vegetables bought from the farmers had a higher content of vitamin C than the ones bought from the supermarkets. This aspect was also confirmed by their increased antioxidant activity, which points out that the local vegetables are a rich source of natural antioxidants, which can be used to prevent various health conditions caused by oxidative stress.