Objective To study and develop edible flower resources, evaluate their nutritional components and in vitro antioxidant activities. Methods The 6 kinds of edible flowers—Kanzan flower, loquat flowers, roses, chrysanthemums, jasmine flowers and honeysuckle—were selected as study subjects. The content of polysaccharides, polyphenols, total flavonoids, free amino acids, proteins, cyanidin and petunidin in the samples were measured. Principal component analysis and correlation analysis were used to compare the antioxidant activity of different edible flowers. Results The chemical compositions of the 6 kinds of edible flowers showed significant differences. The free amino acid (11.18%) and protein (22.06%) content of Kanzan flower were significantly higher than those of the other 5 kinds of flowers. The polysaccharide content of the 6 kinds of flowers was concentrated around 4%. The highest polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were found in roses (9.42%-13.94%) and Guangxi honeysuckle (3.62%), respectively. Petunidin and cyanidin were detected in Kanzan flower, loquat flowers, and roses. Except for Pingyin roses, the petunidin and cyanidin contents in roses were generally higher than those in Kanzan flower and loquat flowers. Antioxidant experiments showed that roses exhibited strong scavenging effects on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and hydroxyl radicals. Correlation analysis indicated that polyphenols, petunidin and cyanidin in edible flowers were positively correlated with antioxidant activity, with correlation coefficients all greater than 0.72, while no significant correlation was observed between total flavonoid content and free radical scavenging rates. Principal component analysis and comprehensive scoring revealed that roses ranked highest among the 6 kinds of flowers. Conclusion Overall, roses possess higher nutritional value as a food ingredient compared to the other five edible flowers. The research provide a scientific basis for the selection of food materials and the development of new food products in the field of edible flowers.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |