HPLC-DAD-APCI/ESI-MSn analysis of carotenoids and α-tocopherol in Costa Rican Acrocomia aculeata fruits of varying maturity stages

Roland Schex; Veronika M Lieb; Víctor M Jiménez; Patricia Esquivel; Ralf M Schweiggert; Reinhold Carle; Christof B Steingass

doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2017.11.041

HPLC-DAD-APCI/ESI-MSⁿ analysis of carotenoids and α-tocopherol in Costa Rican Acrocomia aculeata fruits of varying maturity stages

Food Res Int. 2018 Mar:105:645-653. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.11.041. Epub 2017 Nov 21.

Authors

Roland Schex¹, Veronika M Lieb², Víctor M Jiménez³, Patricia Esquivel⁴, Ralf M Schweiggert⁵, Reinhold Carle⁶, Christof B Steingass⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: roland.schex@dsm.com.
² Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: veronika.lieb@uni-hohenheim.de.
³ CIGRAS, University of Costa Rica, 2060 San Pedro, Costa Rica; Food Security Center, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: victor.jimenez@ucr.ac.cr.
⁴ School of Food Technology, University of Costa Rica, 2060 San Pedro, Costa Rica. Electronic address: patricia.esquivel@ucr.ac.cr.
⁵ Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: ralf.schweiggert@dsm.com.
⁶ Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; Biological Science Department, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80257, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: reinhold.carle@uni-hohenheim.de.
⁷ Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: christof.steingass@uni-hohenheim.de.

PMID: 29433258
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.11.041

Abstract

Carotenoids and tocopherols were characterised in the meso- and exocarp of wild-growing Costa Rican Acrocomia aculeata fruits. Comprehensive profiling of these lipophilic micronutrients in fruits of three varying maturity stages was conducted for the first time. A method for the simultaneous extraction and quantitation of carotenoids and α-tocopherol was developed and validated. Detailed HPLC-DAD-APCI/ESI-MSⁿ analyses enabled the identification of α-tocopherol and 25 carotenoids. The latter comprised antheraxanthin, β-carotene, lutein, luteoxanthin, neoxanthin, phytoene, phytofluene, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and several (Z)-isomers of the aforementioned compounds. Quantitation by HPLC-DAD/FLD revealed total carotenoid concentrations of 872±178 and 3075±407μg/100g fresh weight in the meso- and exocarp of fully ripe fruits, respectively. In both fruit fractions, progressing maturation resulted in the accumulation of phytoene, phytofluene, (all-E)-zeaxanthin, (all-E)-antheraxanthin, and (all-E)-violaxanthin. Carotenoid profiling was supported by multivariate data analysis. Carotenoid precursors and xanthophyll cycle pigments characterised Macauba fruits of full maturity.

Keywords: Carotenoid precursor; Coyol; Macauba; Palm fruit; Underutilised crop; Xanthophyll cycle.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Validation Study

MeSH terms

Arecaceae / chemistry*
Arecaceae / growth & development
Calibration
Carotenoids / analysis*
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid* / standards
Costa Rica
Fruit / chemistry*
Fruit / growth & development
Reference Standards
Reproducibility of Results
Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization* / standards
Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet* / standards
alpha-Tocopherol / analysis*

Substances

Carotenoids
alpha-Tocopherol