Please send e-mail to Cathy Background Grapes are edible fruits within the Vitaceae family of the buckthorn order. Most wines and raisins are made from are Vitis vinifera , although all three varieties can be used. Grape juice and jelly are typically made from Concord grapes, a variety of Vitis labruscana . Many different varieties of each species exist. Return to home page Phenolic Compounds Grapes contain a variety of phenolic compounds.
Phenolic compounds share the same fundamental structural unit, phenol, shown above.
These compounds are non-nutritive secondary plant metabolites concentrated in the skins and the seeds. They are not essential for the plant to live, but they generally help protect the plant from damage. In addition, grapes contain phytoalexins, which are produced in response to tissue damage. One important phytoalexin in grapes is resveratrol . For humans, phenolics are also important for color and flavor.