CHARACTERIZATION OF PHENOLIC PROFILE IN DIFFERENT GRAPE (Vitis Vinifera spp.) VARIETIES

Since the first observations of the “French paradox” (Renaud and De Lorgeril, 1992), several studies have demonstrated the antioxidant and the health promoting effects of wine phenolic compounds, particularly in relation to cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, recently, the wine market has shown a decreasing trend due to the frequent misuse/abuse of alcoholic beverages also in young people. This market situation have stimulated a remarkable interest in non-alcoholic grape products, such as juices and table grapes, which could represent an alternative source of phenolic compounds. Several studies have shown that the reduction in risk of death from all causes observed with moderate wine consumption is similar to that obtained with a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit and vegetable, including grape (Fung et al., 2009). The chemical structures of the most active molecules present in fruits (simple phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins, stilbenes, proanthocyanidins) facilitate their ability to scavenge free radicals due to resonance stabilization of the captured electron. This pattern of reactivity is one of the possible mechanisms responsible for reducing the risk of chronic diseases. On these bases, the characterization of phenolic profile in unfermented grape products is the first step to investigate their healthy properties.