Identification of markers for the authentication of cranberry extract and cranberry-based food supplements

Claudio Gardana; Antonio Scialpi; Christian Fachechi; Paolo Simonetti

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03863

Identification of markers for the authentication of cranberry extract and cranberry-based food supplements

Heliyon. 2020 Apr 25;6(4):e03863. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03863. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Authors

Claudio Gardana¹, Antonio Scialpi², Christian Fachechi², Paolo Simonetti¹

Affiliations

¹ Università degli Studi di Milano, DeFENS - Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
² Specchiasol, R&D Section, Via Rizzi 1/3, 37012 Bussolengo, VR, Italy.

Abstract

Due to the high cost of the cranberry extract, there have been several reported cases of adulteration. The aim of our study was to find markers to authenticate extracts or cranberry-based food supplements. Cranberry fruits from 7 countries, 17 cranberry extracts and 10 cranberry-based food supplements were analysed by UPLC-DAD-Orbitrap MS. Procyanidins were assessed by DMAC method. Anthocyanin fingerprint and epicatechin/catechin, procyanidin A2/total procyanidin and procyanidin/anthocyanin ratios were used as markers, and PCA carried out to check for similarity. Approximately 24% and 60% of the extracts and food supplements, respectively, differed significantly from the fruits. One seemed adulterated with Morus nigra and two with Hibiscus extract. Six food supplements were non-compliant and five contained mainly cyanidin-glucoside and cyanidin-rutinoside, suggesting adulteration with M. nigra extract. Only four products contained the procyanidin amount declared on the package, and only one provided the daily dose deemed effective for treating a urinary tract infection.

Keywords: Anthocyanin fingerprint; Cranberry authentication; Flavan-3-ols; Food analysis; Food science; PCA; Quality markers; UHPLC-Orbitrap MS.