COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL AND PHENOLIC COMPOSITION IN PEEL, PHLOEM, AND XYLEM OF RED CARROT (Daucus carota L.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71146/kjmr919Keywords:
Red carrot (Daucus carota L.), Phenolic compounds, Hydroxycinnamic acids, Antioxidant activity, DPPH assay, IC₅₀, Peel valorization, PhytochemicalsAbstract
This study investigates the distribution of phenolic compounds, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and antioxidant activity in red carrot (Daucus carota L.) collected from two regions of Taluka Khanpur, District Shikarpur, Pakistan. Different parts, peel, phloem, and xylem, were separated and analyzed for assessment of their morphological and biochemical characteristics. Total phenolic contents (TPCs) and hydroxycinnamic acids were quantified using spectrophotometric methods with chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid as standards, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay and expressed as IC₅₀ values. The results demonstrated significant variation among the tissues, with a consistent trend of peel > phloem > xylem in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The highest TPC (53.3 ± 2.9 mg/100 g) and hydroxycinnamic acid content (13.4 ± 1.1 mg/100 g) were observed in peel tissue from the K-1 region, while the lowest values were recorded in xylem tissue from K-2. Similarly, the peel exhibited the strongest antioxidant potential with the lowest IC₅₀ value (31.643 µg/mL), whereas the xylem showed the weakest activity. Morphological analysis supported these findings, indicating structural and functional differences among tissues that influence phytochemical distribution. The strong correlation between phenolic content and antioxidant activity highlights the role of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives as key contributors to the antioxidant potential of red carrots. The findings suggest that carrot peel, often discarded as waste, represents a valuable source of natural antioxidants and could be utilized in functional food and nutraceutical applications. This study provides important insights into the valorization of byproducts of agricultural industries and supports sustainable utilization strategies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nabidad Bajkani, Tajnees Pirzada, Nazia Rind, Khalid Ahmed Bhutto, Qandeel Haider Hundal, Amjad Hussain Soomro, Hafizullah Mazari, Safeullah Bullo, Pooja Bai, Inam Ali Qadir, Ali Bahar Shahani, Sanaullah Ansari (Author)
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