New Zealand Tree Crops Association

Central Disricts Branch

Combined Data for 2003 and 2005

Chemical Analysis of New Zealand grown apple varieties

an attractively presented dish of various enticing apples...

Project Co-ordinator: Mark Christensen

Relevance of specific apple polyphenolics and health:

  1. Chlorogenic acid1 is the major cinnamic acid found in apple and can reach very high concentrations. Chlorogenic acid has antioxidant activity and recent studies have shown that it is absorbed into the body.

    Apples high in chlorogenic acid µg/cm2 µg/g FW
    Chlorogenic Acid
      Skin Flesh
    Otoko House No.1 Seedling? 164.0 1463.0
    Hetlina Heritage 117.3 1115.7
    Otoko House No.2 Seedling? 117.0 1057.0
    Knotted Kernel Cider 92.0 2348.0
    Bisquet Cider 90.0 1891.0
    Monty’s Surprise Seedling 86.3 614.5
    Chuero Ru Bienn Cider 55.0 1518.0
    Sweet Alford Cider 71.0 1240.0
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 3.3 178.7
    Pacific Rose 29.2 306.7

  2. Apple flavonoids are found almost entirely in the skin and are composed of glycosides of quercetin. Quercetin glycosides are powerful antioxidants but have other biological properties such as anti-cancer activity that may be beneficial. In several populations apple is the major source of quercetin after onion. Apple is a good dietary source of quercetin.

    Apples high in specific quercetin glycosides and total flavonoids
    Skin Q-rut Q-gal Q-glu Q-xyl Q-unk Q-arapy Q-araf Q-rham
    Monty's Surprise 7.8 135.0 33.0 49.4 n/tested 115.1 12.0 36.3
    Taumarunui Seedling 0.3 155.7 27.2 36.6 n/tested 75.3 5.1 35.2
    Statesman 14.4 121.4 30.2 44.8 21.8 59.6 5.4 33.3
    Hetlina 3.3 105.8 22.7 60.9 n/tested 81.0 8.7 38.6
    Redfree 6.4 90.3 24.2 30.0 0.4 55.4 6.0 94.1
    Sinclair Seedling No.4 10.5 148.5 23.2 21.5 0 57.4 4.7 26.4
    Woolbrook Pippin 3.5 138.9 37.1 32.4 n/tested 53.3 3.5 18.3
    Sinclair Seedling No.3 9.6 111.4 31.1 25.5 1.5 80.5 6.1 20.4
    Holly 1.5 108.2 12.4 45.5 n/tested 60.6 6.2 39.8
    Bisquet 15.2 124.6 30.6 19.2 0 52.0 9.3 17.7
    Knotted Kernel 3.9 113.8 16.8 23.8 1.0 68.7 9.4 19.0
    Cambridge Pippin 0.3 115.5 21.9 24.7 n/tested 68.8 3.6 21.0
    Kemptons Late 15.7 110.4 27.7 21.6 0 50.7 4.6 13.2
    Fuero Rous 11.3 108.7 25.2 21.8 0.6 52.8 8.7 14.5
    Tydemans Late Orange   135.9 19.2 19.3 n/tested 42.2 3.4 14.2
    Reis High Health 17.3 81.1 40.5 26.8 1.7 50.6 3.8 10.0
    McIntosh 0.5 69.7 26.7 55.3 n/tested 33.3 3.0 21.4
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 3.9 40.2 5.1 14.2 n/tested 28.4 3.5 8.6
    Pacific Rose 5.6 51.4 7.6 13.1 n/tested 22.4 2.9 8.9

    Specific Quercetin Glycosides

      Quercetin Rutinoside
    (Q-rut)
    Otoko House No.1 Seedling? 21.1
    Tilly Poihaere Apples Seedling 18.9
    Captain Kelly Seedling Back Lawn Seedling 18.2
    Sinclair Seedling No.7 Seedling 17.6
    Reis High Health Heritage Sport 17.3
    Charden Bred 16.9
    Sinclair Seedling No.8 Seedling 16.5
    Makowhai 5 Crown Pippin Seedling 16.0

      Quercetin Galactoside
    (Q-gal)
    Taumarunui Seedling Seedling 155.7
    Sinclair Seedling No.4 Seedling 148.5
    Woolbrook Pippin Heritage Seedling 138.9
    Tydemans Late Orange Heritage 135.9
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 135.0
    Bisquet Cider 124.6
    Statesman Heritage 121.4

      Quercetin Glucoside
    (Q-glu)
    Otoko House No.1 Seedling? 46.0
    Five Crown Heritage 45.2
    Reis High Health Heritage Sport 40.5
    Woolbrook Pippin Heritage Seedling 37.1
    Captain Kelly Seedling Black Lawn Seedling 36.6
    Signe Tillisch Heritage Seedling 34.4
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 33.0
    Captain Kidd Heritage Sport 32.7

      Quercetin Xyloside
    (Q-xyl)
    Hetlina Heritage 60.9
    McIntosh Heritage Se55.3edling
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 49.4
    Holly Bred 45.5
    Statesman Heritage 44.8

      Quercetin Unknown Compound*
    (Q-unk)
    Statesman Heritage 21.8
    Sunset (Canterbury) Seedling 13.8
    Sunset (Motueka) Seedling 13.1
    Sinclair Seedling No.1 Seedling 11.8
    Cox's Orange Pippin Heritage Seedling 9.9
    Makaranui Apple Seedling 8.4

    * Note: There is no data available for the 2003 apples tested for this unknown quercetin compound.

      Quercetin Arabinopyranoside
    (Q-arapy)
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 115.1
    Hetlina Heritage 81.0
    Sinclair Seedling No.3 Seedling 80.5
    Taumarunui Seedling Seedling 75.3
    Cambridge Pippin Heritage Seedling 68.8
    Knotted Kernel Cider 68.7
    Holly Bred 60.6
    Statesman Heritage 59.6
    Sinclair Seedling No.1 Seedling 58.7
    Sinclair Seedling No.5 Seedling 58.2

      Quercetin Arabinofuranoside
    (Q-araf)
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 12.0
    Knotted Kernel Cider 9.4
    Bisquet Cider 9.3
    Hetlina Heritage 8.7
    Fuero Rous Cider 8.7
    HRR 8 Seedling 7.6
    HRR 5 Seedling 7.5

      Quercetin Rhamnoside
    (Q-rham)
    Redfree Bred (1966) 94.1
    Freedom Bred 54.1
    Priam Unknown 52.3
    Dayton Bred 52.0
    Holly Bred 39.8
    Hetlina Heritage 38.6
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 36.3
    Taumarunui Seedling Seedling 35.2
    Statesman Heritage 33.3
    Democrat Heritage Seedling 32.8

      Total Flavonoids
    Skin Flesh
    Monty's Surprise 398.8 20.9
    Statesman 344.0 26.0
    Taumarunui Seedling 342.5 9.1
    Hetlina 332.1 37.7
    Redfree 327.0 29.5
    Sinclair Seedling No.4 301.0 16.2
    Sinclair Seedling No.3 297.0 15.4
    Woolbrook Pippin 294.8 8.7
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 108.9 4.5
    Pacific Rose 111.2 4.1

  3. The flavan-3-ols of apple are catechin, epicatechin and the dimers B2, and B5 (not measured). These compounds are also found in tea and red wine and are associated with the health benefits of these compounds. Catechin and epicatechin are readily absorbed into the body.

    Catechin Epicatechin B2
    Skin Flesh Skin Flesh Skin Flesh
    Montys Surprise 30.5 199.3 127.4 344.6 136.8 379.1
    Otoko House No.1 36.3 232.0 120.3 418.0 103.5 330.0
    Otoko House No.2 23.7 165.7 132.1 360.0 103.7 250.0
    Fuero Rous 10.6 183.7 132.3 1492.0 99.8 1072.0
    Knotted Kernel 27.5 216.3 119.2 647.0 91.5 672.0
    Bisquet 18.3 180.1 123.4 1033.0 85.7 836.0
    Hetlina 12.7 45.5 95.5 214.2 102.0 210.4
    C'huero Ru Bienn 11.8 142.2 91.0 822.0 64.4 702.0
    Otoko Bach No.3 4.6 224.5 62.2 398.0 47.1 255.0
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 3.9 31.0 72.6 132.2 67.8 108.3
    Pacific Rose 3.4 14.4 39.1 82.9 28.6 59.9

  4. Procyanidins are polymers composed of chains of flavan-3-ol units linked together. The number of possible compounds possible is very great due to differences in chain length, the type of interconnecting bonds, and the order of the flavan-3-ol units. Consequently, when analysed by most chromatographic techniques they appear as a prominent 'hump' that can represent many hundreds of different compounds of similar chemical properties. In apple, procyanidins are usually composed of epicatechin of various configurations resulting in a large number of compounds with different combinations. There are no standards of procyanidins available, so these compounds were quantified as epicatechin equivalents.

    Although there is little evidence that procyanidins are absorbed into the body there is direct evidence to support their use for enhancing health. Procyanidins are effective antioxidants and have other activities such as inhibition of platelet activity. Several successful antioxidant products are based on procyanidins including grape seed extract and pine bark extract (Enzogenol and Pycnogenol). Some other fruits also contain substantial procyanidin concentrations such as grape, and persimmon. Additionally, the health properties of cocoa (and chocolate) are promoted due to the high procyanidin content.

      Total Procyanidins
    Skin Flesh
    Fuero Rous Cider 866.0 5797.0
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 722.0 1426.5
    Otoko House No.1 Seedling? 625.0 1945.0
    Hetlina Heritage 585.0 1182.1
    Knotted Kernel Cider 552.0 3940.0
    Democrat Heritage Seedling 544.6 1110.0
    Otoko House No.2 Seedling? 532.0 1507.0
    Bisquet Cider 473.0 4402.0
    C'huero Ru Bienn Cider 383.0 3188.0
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 452.5 546.7
    Pacific Rose 233.7 323.5

  5. Phloridzin are a type of flavonoid known as dihydrochalcones. Apple is the only major known dietary source of these compounds. Although phloridzin, and the related compound phloridzin-xyloside have antioxidant activity they are also believed to modulate sugar transport in the intestine and can slow the absorption of sugar. This may have particular relevance to diabetics and those wanting to control sugar absorption.

      Phloridzin
    Skin Flesh
    Takapuna Russet Heritage Sport 117.1 41.6
    Otoko House No.1 Seedling? 97.6 144.5
    Makaranui Apple Seedling 83.2 225.4
    Otoko House No.2 Seedling? 75.3 89.3
    Egremont Russet Heritage 71.0 31.6
    Helens Large Russet Heritage 55.4 24.5
    Taonui Seedling Seedling 50.2 64.1
    Merton Russet Heritage 43.3 14.0
    Boston Russet Heritage 43.2 22.9
    Sinclair Seedling No.3 Seedling 42.2 35.8
    Fuero Rous Cider 37.3 74.2
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 33.3 37.6
    Pacific Rose 5.6 6.6

      Phloridzin-xyloside
    Skin Flesh
    Egremont Russet Heritage 22.6 44.6
    Sinclair Seedling No.3 Seedling 20.2 92.1
    Merton Russet Heritage 19.7 38.7
    Takapuna Russet Heritage Sport 19.6 38.6
    Red Jonathon Sport 17.2 20.6
    Sinclair Seedling No.5 Seedling 16.3 79.3
    Mater Cooker (Waitotara) Heritage 16.3 41.6
    Fuero Rous Cider 15.8 149.6
    Devonshire Quarrenden Heritage 14.5 22.4
    Otoko House No.1 Seedling? 13.6 42.9
    Knotted Kernel Cider 7.6 113.3
    Sinclair Seedling No.4 Seedling 6.5 78.8
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 6.6 6.6
    Pacific Rose 4.8 10.3

  6. The major anthocyanin found in apple is cyanidin 3-O-galactoside (Cy-gal) and is responsible for the red colour of the skin. Cy-gal is usually only found in the skin. Although anthocyanins are antioxidant-active compounds and are believed to be responsible for a large part of the health enhancing attributes of berryfruit, however, compared with berryfruit, concentrations in apple are relatively low.

      Cyanidin 3-0-galactoside
    Skin Flesh
    Black Prince Heritage 90.1 0
    Sinclair Seedling No.6 (red flesh) Seedling 77.2 4.2
    Liberty Bred 51.6 n/tested
    Kingston Black Cider 51.4 0
    Gloster Bred 50.4 n/tested
    Knotted Kernel Cider 40.2 2.9
    Red Ballerina Crab Crabapple 39.5 41.1
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 16.0 n/tested
    Pacific Rose 16.2 n/tested

  7. The term 'Phenolics' refers to a chemical classification and includes many thousands of known compounds. This class called 'phenolics' is further divided into subclasses. Of particular relevance to apples are the subclasses of 'flavonoids' and 'phenolic acids'.

      Total Phenolics
    Skin Flesh
    Otoko House Seedling? 1832.0 6657.0
    Monty's Surprise Seedling 1676.0 3773.0
    Fuero Rous Cider 1664.0 11078.0
    Knotted Kernel Cider 1534.0 11586.0
    Hetlina Heritage 1475.0 4154.0
    Otoko House No.2 Seedling? 1432.0 4882.0
    Bisquet Cider 1358.0 11305.0
    C'huero Ru Bienn Cider 963.0 8747.0
    Sweet Alford Cider 734.0 4707.0
    Comparison with
    Red Delicious 872.4 1293.6
    Pacific Rose 543.5 1157.6


1 Descriptions of compounds in apples taken from the Hort Research Report to the New Zealand Tree Crops Association, "Polyphenolic Content of New Zealand Grown Heritage Apple" February 2004.


See also: 2006 Apple Cancer Prevention Update

Earlier work: APPLE CANCER RESEARCH PROJECT Information Pack, April 2004


 Top