Fruits and vegetables that have the highest pigmentations - darker, richer colors - have the highest levels of antioxidants, says Dr. Luke Howard, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture food scientist. The pigments that give many fruits their color are called anthocyanins, Howard said. They are made of compounds that have antioxidant capacity, some with more capacity than others.

In a three-year study funded by the Division of Agriculture and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Howard and UA researcher Dr. Mi Jin Cho have separated and measured quantities of individual anthocyanins in the pigments of blueberries, blackberries and red wine grapes and the antioxidant capacity of those compounds.

The research showed that "the health-promoting effects of pigments as well as other compounds present in fruits and vegetables may be because of their ability to regulate genes involved in disease protection." Indirectly, fruit breeders have selected for higher antioxidants because they are trying to improve color, among other traits, Howard said. Identifying the specific compounds that have higher antioxidant capacity can help them develop fruits that have improved health benefits.

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