Postharvest accumulation of resveratrol and piceatannol in sugarcane with enhanced antioxidant activity.

A new plant source, sugarcane, was used to produce the stilbenes piceatannol and resveratrol. Both stilbenes were identified in sugarcane billet stalks (12 mm) after incubation at room temperature for 3 days. Low concentrations of piceatannol (30.6 μg/g) and resveratrol (12.3 μg/g) were detected at day 3. At day 7 of incubation higher concentrations of piceatannol (1659 μg/g) and resveratrol (73 μg/g) were produced. Sugarcane juice obtained from billets that were incubated for 7 days contained high levels of piceatannol (8.5 mg/L) and resveratrol (1.2 mg/L). Although high stilbene concentrations were determined in the sugarcane variety L 97-128, two other varieties (Ho 95-988 and LCP 85-384) displayed lower stilbene concentrations after incubation for 7 days. The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities of incubated sugarcane extracts were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The TPC and antioxidant activities were highest in sugarcane extracts that were incubated for 7 days. This study details a postharvest method to produce stilbene-enriched sugarcane with increased levels of piceatannol and resveratrol.