The Phytochemical and Nutritional Composition of Shallot Species (, and Aggregatum) Is Genetically and Environmentally Dependent.

Shallots are a perennial plant from the Alliaceae family, classified with the common onion under the name of the Aggregatum group. The term shallot is also used for diploid and triploid viviparous onions, known as (Moench) Schrad and Clementi ex Vis., respectively. In this study, we compared the dry matter, pyruvic acid content, sugar content, flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity and mineral composition of 34 shallot accessions falling into three shallot species (, and Aggregatum). Shallot accessions belonging to the and groups are characterized by high dry matter content (around 25%), of which a little less than 50% is formed of inulin-type sugars, polysaccharides, considered an excellent prebiotic with beneficial effects on human health. On the other hand, accessions belonging to the Aggregatum group have lower dry matter content and, as a result, lower pungency (measured as pyruvic acid content), making them more suitable for fresh consumption by a broader range of consumers, but, at the same time, abundant in phenolic compounds, especially quercetin and isorhamnetin glycosides. We also observed a greater biodiversity among accessions within the Aggregatum group in all the analyzed physico-chemical parameters compared to the other shallot groups. The investigated shallot accessions have an excellent in vitro antioxidant capacity, as well as excellent nutritional properties.