The cultivation of American elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis) continues to increase as the use of this botanical has expanded. Elderberries contain a variety of polyphenols, including anthocyanins, which have purported health benefits. However, information is lacking regarding the impact of environmental, management, and genotypic factors on the quantity and type of polyphenols and anthocyanins produced. Quantification of 16 polyphenols including eight anthocyanins present in juice from three genotypes of American elderberry grown at two Missouri sites from 2013 to 2014 was performed. Large variances in anthocyanin and other polyphenol content were observed between the different harvest seasons, locations, and genotypes. Although specific phytochemical trends due to those factors were not apparent, a discriminant analysis was able to correctly identify 45 of 48 juice samples by genotype, based on their polyphenol profiles. This type of characterization could be beneficial in elderberry authentication studies and to help develop and document high-quality dietary supplement products with specific phytochemical contents.
Keywords: Sambucus; UHPLC; anthocyanin; discriminant analysis; elderberry; mass spectrometry; polyphenol; solid-phase extraction.