CHARACTERIZATION AND POLYPHENOLIC ANTIOXIDANTS CONTENT OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS AND OILS FROM CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC FARMING

The aim of this work is the characterization of polyphenolic antioxidants in different tissues of sunflower seeds (kernels and shells) and their oils, cultivated by organic and conventional techniques, respectively. The presence of radioactivity in seeds via gamma spectrometry technique is also evaluated. The quantitative analysis of antioxidant molecules in the kernel and shell of sunflower seeds shows the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids, such as chlorogenic acid and other caffeoylquinic acid derivatives. There are no specific differences in terms of quality of the antioxidants profile, but the organic samples show higher concentrations of phenol antioxidants in the seed shells with respect to those obtained by conventional cultivation. This study presents an integrated approach of different analytical techniques, focused on the aspect of quality and safety of food products, taking into consideration one of the most important oilseed crops, as sunflower, cultivated in organic and traditional farm, respectively. The seed samples were analyzed also by NaI(Tl) gamma spectroscopy.