Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Activity of Ancient Majorca and Carosella (Triticum aestivum L.) Wheat Flours

Abstract

Two locally grown ancient wheat varieties named Carosella and Majorca (Triticum aestivum L.) were studied for their phytochemical contents and biological activities. Four different types of flour obtained from each variety were investigated. Carosella and Majorca samples showed high concentration of polyphenol content and high antioxidant activity. Among the different types of flour obtained by different grindings (whole wheat, 2, 1, and 0), whole wheat showed the highest antioxidant activity expressed as inhibition of DPPH radical, with an IC50 value of 0.008 mg/mL for Carosella and 0.011 mg/mL for Majorca. The total polyphenol content ranged from 11.72 to 14.34 g/kg in Carosella samples and from 11.96 to 13.67 g/kg in Majorca samples. The results of this study reveal that the two wheat varieties, Carosella and Majorca, could be considered potential sources of antioxidant agent and could play a major role in human health.