PEROXIDASES OF SELECTED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND THE POSSIBLE USE OF ASCORBIC-ACID AS AN ANTIOXIDANT

The various isozymes of peroxidase of a range of vegetables and kiwifruit were compared using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by specific activity staining. Peroxidase isozymes were determined in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), kiwifruit [Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson], cauliflower [Brassica oleracea (Botrytis group)], green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana Gaertn, Mey Scherb.). There was only one isozyme in cauliflower (70 kDa), two in kiwifruit (45-43 kDa), and a range of isozymes (120-36 kDa) in horseradish. Ascorbic acid inhibited peroxidase activity in the extracts.