Bioactive compounds in gladiolus flowers

Flowers have received special attention not only for their ornamental nature but also for their nutraceutical, cosmetic, aromatic, and culinary properties. This study aimed to characterize physicochemical attributes and the antioxidant capacity of flowers of four gladiolus cultivars. The cultivars used were White Friendship, Rose Supreme, Jester, and T704. We analyzed the content of total soluble solids (SS), total titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, pH, vitamin C, anthocyanin, flavonoids, total phenolic compounds (TPC), total antioxidant activity (TAA), and the relationship of TPC with flavonoids and TAA for each cultivar. The results showed that the Jester flowers had the lowest TA and highest SS/TA ratio, indicating the best flavor. Jester also had the highest flavonoid content, similarly to the White Friendship and Rose Supreme. As a result, these cultivars have flowers with higher TPC and TAA content than T704. The anthocyanin content was the characteristic attribute of cultivar T704, due to its purple pigmentation. Gladiolus flowers, traditionally used in landscaping and as cut flowers, have the potential for use in human nutrition, particularly the White Friendship, Rose Supreme, and Jester cultivars.