Determination and Quantitation of Anthocyanins and Hydroxycinnamic Acids in Different Cultivars of Sweet Cherries (Prunus avium L.) from Nova Gorica Region (Slovenia)

• Main Authors: Branka Mozetič, Janez Hribar, Polonca Trebše
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Zagreb 2002-01-01
• Series: Food Technology and Biotechnology
• Subjects: sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.); anthocyanins; hydroxycinnamic acids; HPLC
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/263069

The anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids in 5 cultivars of dark coloured sweet cherries were characterised and quantified by means of HPLC and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. Phenolic components were extracted with pure methanol, without addition of acid and water. The samples were diluted in the mixture of methanol and formic acid just before the injection on the column and separated on Hypersil PEP 300 C18 chromatographic column using gradient solvent system consisting of formic acid, water and methanol. DAD detector was employed and two wavelengths were chosen for determination of different components; 320 nm for hydroxycinnamates and 520 nm for anthocyanins. We detected the presence of cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside as major anthocyanins, while pelargonidin-3 rutinoside was identified among minor pigments. The major hydroxycinnamic acids were characterised as neochlorogenic acid and 3'-p-coumaroylquinic acid. Total anthocyanin content (expressed as cyanidin-3-glucoside) ranged from 29 to 62 mg/100 g of pitted cherry fresh weight (FW), with the highest content observed in Petrovka, a local cultivar. Concentrations of neochlorogenic acid and 3’-p coumaroylquinic acid ranged from 19.5 to 53.0 mg/100 g FW and from 7.5 to 50.6 mg/100 g FW, respectively. The relative amounts of these two phenolic acids varied widely between the cherry cultivars examined in this study.