Flavonoids are important secondary plant metabolites believed to be present mainly in land plants. As phenolics were detected previously in microalgae using photometric assays, we wanted to investigate the nature of these phenolics and verify whether flavonoids are present. Therefore, in this study, we used state-of-the-art ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-two-dimensional mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) technology to investigate whether microalgae also contain flavonoids. For this, representative microalgal biomass samples from divergent evolutionary lineages (Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta, Haptophyta, Ochrophyta) were screened for a set of carefully selected precursors, intermediates, and end products of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Our data unequivocally showed that microalgae contain a wide range of flavonoids and thus must possess the enzyme pool required for their biosynthesis. Further, some of the microalgae displayed an intricate flavonoid pattern that is compatible with the established basic flavonoid pathway as observed in higher plants. This implies that the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway arose much earlier in evolution compared to what is generally accepted.

a b s t r a c tExtracts of the white shaft and green leaves of 30 leek cultivars were investigated for their antioxidant properties, total phenolic (TP) and L-ascorbic acid (AA) content. The measured antioxidant properties included free radical scavenging activities against peroxyl (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH) and their Fe 3+ reducing capacity (FRAP). The results from this study suggest that the green leek leaves generally have significantly stronger antioxidant properties than the white shaft. Correlation analysis between the TP and the AA content and the antioxidant activity showed that phenolics and ascorbic acid contribute significantly to the antioxidant activity of leek. The three antioxidant activity assays were all correlated for the extracts of the white shaft of the 30 leek cultivars. Principal component analysis (PCA) elucidated the influence of part and type of cultivar on the antioxidant capacity, TP, and Lascorbic acid content, whilst the breeding strategy and seed company had no influence.

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The objective of this study was to explore the utility of the phenolic pattern (1) to differentiate or associate between cultivars with a different or same genetic background respectively and (2) to assess some important quality traits (color, disease resistance, and browning) in apple fruit. A unique set of cultivars/candivars occurring in Belgium were selected for this survey. It was possible to segregate the studied apple cultivars/candivars into three clusters: red-flesh apple candivars, classic/new cultivars and candivars and heritage apple cultivars. It was found that the heritage apple varieties selected for their disease resistance and cultivated under organic agricultural practice demonstrate a remarkable different phenolic profile. Furthermore, it was found that the phenolic makeup of the peel could suggest the genetic relationships among the apple cultivars. In conclusion, the knowledge of the phenolic profile could be a useful instrument in breeding programs to identify apples with better quality traits, processing characteristics and health-benefiting effects.