Abstract:Epidemiological evidence suggests the critical role of vegetable consumption in preventing chronic degenerative diseases. Considering that pickle is a widely consumption type of vegetable in Turkish diet the objective of the present study was to assess the total phenol content and antioxidant capacity of pickled vegetables. For this purpose total antioxidant capacity of 10 fresh and pickled vegetables was analysed by DPPH (2,20-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) methods and total phenolic content (TPC) using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Following the pickling in 15 th day there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in TPC of all vegetables, in contrast this TPC increased significantly after 30 th day. Also at 60 th day of pickling the TEAC values of all vegetables are increased significantly (P<0.05), but DPPH values of green pepper, cauliflower, cucumber and sneak melon decreased compared with fresh state. Our findings suggest that, pickling process is relatively a good method for the preservation of phenolic acids in vegetables, and most of the antioxidant capacities remained after 30 th day of fermentation.

Turkey is the leading producer and exporter of hazelnuts, producing approximately 64% of global hazelnut production. This research investigated the effects of cultivars and altitude on the phenolic, antioxidant, and fatty acid compositions of five hazelnut cultivars grown at three different altitudes, 100 m, 350 m, and 800 m, in Ordu province, one of the territories that produce the most hazelnuts. The results showed that the cultivar and location significantly affected phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid (FA) content. The lowest (2.30 mg/kg-Yağlı) and highest (21.11 mg/kg-Kara) gallic acids were obtained at 100 m. The highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were found in the nuts grown at 350 m in the Kara and Palaz cultivars, at 100 m in the Yağlı and Sivri cultivars, and at 800 m in the Çakıldak cultivar. Oleic acid was the predominant FA in the cultivars and possessed a diverse trend according to the altitude and cultivar, ranging from 76.04% to 84.80%, increasing with altitude in all cultivars except Çakıldak. Palmitic acid was the predominant saturated FA followed by stearic acid, which significantly varied according to the elevations. This study suggests that the responses of hazelnuts to altitude depend on the cultivar; hence, a proper approach to producing nuts containing more phenolic, fatty acids, and antioxidant activity includes choosing a suitable cultivar for a specific elevation.