Comparative characterization of the content and in vitro bioaccessibility of minerals in two Cornus species

In this study, the content and bioaccessibility of minerals were investigated in four different cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) and one common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea L.) genotypes grown in Bursa, Turkey. Mineral content or bioaccessibility was determined using inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry or in vitro artificial gastrointestinal system, respectively. Results revealed that the common dogwood contained significantly greater amounts of minerals, particularly calcium and iron, compared with cornelian cherry genotypes. However, bioaccessibility of calcium or iron was greater in cornelian cherry genotypes (on average 90% or 25%, respectively) compared with that of common dogwood (13.72% or 4.48%, respectively). Bioaccessibility rates of potassium, magnesium and copper were over 50% in all genotypes. Among the cornelian cherry genotypes, G2 contained the highest amount of minerals, except for copper, and the highest amount of bioaccessible minerals. Although the mineral contents were different, amounts of bioaccessible minerals were comparable in both species due to the difference in bioaccessibility rates. In conclusion, the present study shows that fruits with rich mineral contents do not necessarily have high nutritional value due to lower bioaccessibility rates, and suggests that in vitro bioaccessibility studies are useful tools in the determination of the nutritional value of foods.