Phenolics of Selected Cranberry Genotypes (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) and Their Antioxidant Efficacy

The cranberry is a health-promoting fruit crop. It grows in the wild and on commercial farms in Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador. Cranberries produce skin colouring pigments (anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins) which have been shown to help prevent urinary tract infections. Antioxidants that include anthocyanins and other polyphenols (compounds found in natural plant food sources) are available in the fruit’ flesh, and are believed to fight against cancer development and its progression. In the present study, greenhouse-grown and market-supplied cranberries were evaluated for their antioxidative properties. Cranberry variety Pilgrim and four wild plants designated as NL1, NL2, NL3 and PE1 were evaluated. While NL1, NL2 and NL3 were collected from Newfoundland and Labrador, PE1 was collected from Prince Edward Island. All these plants were grown in the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. John’s Research and Development Centre greenhouse. Although Pilgrim cranberries showed the highest polyphenol and flavonoid (also compounds found in natural plant food sources) contents, wild cranberry plant NL3, showed the highest anthocyanin content. This demonstrates that Pilgrim and some wild cranberries from Newfoundland and Labrador are rich in antioxidants and can be used for improving and producing high quality cranberries. This may help health promotion and cancer risk reduction. Next step of the study will be evaluation of more wild-grown cranberry plants to select high antioxidant containing plants.