Nutrient Composition and Total Antioxidant Activity in Eggplant (Solanum melongena) Germplasm

Abstract

Brinjal, also referred to as eggplant, is one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide. In this investigation, the nutritional makeup and antioxidant capacities of ripe fruits from six different eggplant germplasms were assessed using accepted methodologies. Germplasms differed significantly in terms of variables such as moisture (88.140–91.327%), total soluble sugar (4.559–6.827%), ash (6.576–9.5%), reducing sugar (0.575–3.383%), crude fat (0.940-1.813%), crude protein (0.783–2.736%), and crude fibre (1.410–3.420%). Ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid, total phenol, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and DPPH radical scavenging activity all exhibited antioxidant properties, with respective concentrations of 12.486-31.78 mg/100g, 150.820-342.650 mg/100g, 604.920-1007.006 mg GAE/100g, 5.156-14.5174 mg/100g, 10.729-22.192 mg/100g, and 88.860-205.070 µg/ml IC50. The nutritional value of JC-1 and the antioxidant characteristics of SM-6-7 were shown to be superior to other germplasms. The superior germplasms can be recommended for consumption as well as for use in breeding.