PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT CHARACTERISTICS OF FRUITS OF CAPE GOOSEBERRY (Physalis peruviana L.) FROM TURKEY

Cape gooseberry recently gained important commercial value in Turkey and its cultivation throughout Turkey is increasing rapidly. In the study, twenty Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) genotypes sampled from the Coruh valley in Turkey and were analysed for their fruit skin colour, moisture (%), soluble solid content (%), pH, acidity, ash (%), crude protein (%), vitamin C (mg/100 g), total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity. A wide variation among genotypes on most of the searched parameters was evident. The total phenolic and vitamin C content of genotypes varied from 40.49 to 55.71 mg gallic acid equivalent and 39.67 to 53.13 mg in 100 g fresh fruit sample. In DPPH free radical scavenging assay, IC50 value of fruit extracts of Cape gooseberry was found to be between 3.60 and 4.22 mg/ml. The results concluded that Cape gooseberry fruits have a potential source of antioxidants of natural origin.