Chemometric characterization of peach, nectarine and plum cultivars according to fruit phenolic content and antioxidant activity

Balanced diets, including the regular consumption of fruits play a major protective role against many diseases such as: different types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and atherosclerosis cellular aging [1]. Fruits are valuable sources of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, nonessential phytochemicals, water, and especially an abundance of antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants are compounds that may inhibit, retard or delay the oxidation of other molecules by inhibiting the initiation or propagation of oxidizing chain reactions.