Exploration of the flavor diversity of oolong teas: A comprehensive analysis using metabolomics, quantification techniques, and sensory evaluation.

The taste profile of oolong tea is intricately shaped by origins and roasting. Herein, a comprehensive approach integrating non-targeted metabolomics, quantitative analysis and sensory evaluations was employed to analyze the taste profile of oolong tea. 25 selected representative oolong teas, including Southern Fujian (MN), Northern Fujian (MB), and Taiwan (TW), were meticulously were classified into SX-RG-DD, GS, and TGY based on the chemical taste phenotypes. A total of 314 non-volatile compounds were identified, among which 87 and 77 compounds, including catechin, theaflavins, flavonoids and amino acids were screened as critical taste metabolites responsible for regions and roasting degree, respectively. The reduction of bitter and astringent, coupled with the enhancement of umami, sweet and sweet aftertaste exhibited a correlation with the decrease in (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), while the increase in catechin (C). These findings provide insights for further research on optimizing tea quality and refining processing techniques.

Identification of procyanidins as α-glucosidase inhibitors, pancreatic lipase inhibitors, and antioxidants from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia by multi-bioactivity-labeled molecular networking.

This study examined the suppressive effects of 16 selected plant-based foods on α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase and their antioxidant properties. Among these, the bark of Cinnamomum cassia (Cinnamon, WLN-FM 15) showed the highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and the highest antioxidant activity. Additionally, WLN-FM 15 showed promising results in the other tests. To further identify the bioactive constituents of WLN-FM 15, a multi-bioactivity-labeled molecular networking approach was used through a combination of GNPS-based molecular networking, DPPH-HPLC, and affinity-based ultrafiltration-HPLC. A total of nine procyanidins were identified as antioxidants and inhibitors of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase in WLN-FM 15. Subsequently, procyanidins A1, A2, B1, and C1 were isolated, and their efficacy was confirmed through functional assays. In summary, WLN-FM 15 has the potential to serve as a functional food ingredient with the procyanidins as its bioactive constituents. These results also suggest that the multi-bioactivity-labeled molecular networking approach is reliable for identifying bioactive constituents in plant-based foods.

A frontier exploration of ancient craftsmanship: Effects of various tea products in traditional Chinese cuisine "tea flavored beef".

Modern science often overlooks to reveal the scientific essence of traditional crafts to promote their inheritance and development. In this work, five different types of tea products were prepared using the same variety of tea leaves referring to traditional methods. The analysis of their components and activities indicated that the processing reduced total catechin contents (from 172.8 mg/g to 48.2 mg/g) and promoted the synthesis of theaflavins (from 17.9 mg/g to 43.4 mg/g), reducing antioxidant and antimicrobial abilities of the resulting tea products. On this basis, the tea products were applied to "tea flavored beef" to reveal long-term effects. Within 15 days of storage, tea treatment showed remarkable antimicrobial and antioxidant activities on the beef. Also, the declines of sensory scores and texture of the treated beef were significantly suppressed. Meanwhile, protein degradation in the beef was inhibited, limiting the contents of various biogenic amines within relatively low levels.

UPLC-ESI-TQD-MS/MS Identification and Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Obesity and Anticancer Properties of Polyphenolic Compounds of Hawthorn Seeds.

Hawthorn seeds are a by-product of fruit processing and due to the scale of processing of this raw material, they can be an important source of bioactive compounds. This work is the first report on the phenolic composition of hawthorn seeds and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiobesity and anticancer activities. In the isolated phenolic fraction of six seed species, 23 phenolic compounds were identified using the UPLC-ESI-TQD-MS/MS method, the key ones of which included the B-type procyanidin dimer. The seeds of the tested species showed high antioxidant activity (mainly by scavenging O2•- and OH• radicals), anti-inflammatory (mainly through LOX inhibition), anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and anti-cancer, with the highest activity against colon cancer cells (Dld-1 line), showing no activity against healthy colon epithelial cells (CCD841CoN). This activity was significantly dependent on the analyzed hawthorn species and, according to PCA analysis, on the content of flavan-3-ols. These discoveries provided the theoretical basis for the possibility of industrial use of hawthorn seeds.

Pharmacotherapeutic potential of ginkgetin against polystyrene microplastics-instigated testicular toxicity in rats: A biochemical, spermatological, and histopathological assessment.

Polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) have emerged as a ubiquitous environmental toxicant that affects different organs including testes. Ginkgetin (GNG) is a biflavonoid that shows antioxidant properties. The current research was undertaken to evaluate the ameliorative potential of GNG against PSMPs-instigated testicular damages. Forty-eight albino rats (male) were randomly divided into 4 equal groups: control, PSMPs-treated group (0.01 mgkg-1), GNG + PSMPs-exposed group (25 mgkg-1 + 0.01 mgkg-1), and only GNG-supplemented group (25 mgkg-1). After 56 days of treatment, it was revealed that PSMPs significantly reduced the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GSR), while concurrently augmented the levels of lipid peroxidation marker, i.e., malondialdehyde (MDA) along with reactive oxygen species (ROS). Rats administered with PSMPs showed a significant reduction in the spermatogenic indices (sperm count, viability, and motility), HOS coiled tail sperm along with increased sperm structural deformities, i.e., tail, head, and mid-piece. Additionally, PSMPs exposure decreased the levels of testosterone, luteinizing (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH). Besides, administration of PSMPs reduced the steroidogenic enzymes (13ß-HSD, StAR, and 17ß-HSD) and Bcl-2 expression, while augmented the caspase-3 and Bax expression. PSMPs also elevated the levels of inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and NF-κB) and activity of COX-2 in the testes. Furthermore, PSMPs treatment induced various histopathological damages in the testes of rats. Therefore, findings of the current study suggested that GNG effectively mitigated the PSMPs-induced testicular toxicity owing to its chemoprotective potential possibly through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and androgenic properties.

Antibacterial and hemolytic activity of extracts and compounds obtained from epicarps and seeds of Garcinia madruno(Kunth) Hammel / Actividad antimicrobiana y hemolítica de extractos y compuestos obtenidos del epicarpio y las semillas de Garcinia madruno (Kunth) Hammel

This paper describes the evaluation of the antimicrobial and hemolytic activity of the hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from seeds and epicarps of Garcinia madruno; as well garcinol, morelloflavone and volkensiflavone isolated from the same species. In the preliminary test of bacterial susceptibility, hexane extracts from seeds and epicarps and the three compounds tested only displayed inhibitory growth effect against Gram-positive bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of extract and compounds ranging from 86.6 to 1253.4 µg/mL. The hemolytic activity was assessed; however, except for the methanol extract from seeds, none of the samples studied induced hemolysis. Thus, our results suggest that extracts and compounds from G. madruno have the potential to be used in the control of pathologies associated to Gram-positive bacteria. This is the first report of the antimicrobial and hemolytic activity of extracts of different polarity obtained from seeds and epicarps of this edible species.

El presente artículo describe la evaluación de la actividad antimicrobiana y hemolítica de los extractos de hexano, diclorometano, acetato de etilo y metanol, obtenidos de la semilla y el epicarpio de Garcinia madruno; así como de garcinol, morelloflavona y volkensiflavona; aislados de la misma especie. En el ensayo de susceptibilidad bacteriana, tanto el extracto de hexano obtenido a partir de la semilla y el epicarpio, y los tres compuestos aislados, únicamente mostraron actividad inhibitoria del crecimiento contra bacterias Gram-positivas. La concentración mínima inhibitoria presentó valores entre 86.6 y 1253.4 µg/mL. También se estableció la actividad hemolítica; sin embargo, con excepción del extracto metanólico obtenido a partir de las semillas, ninguna de las muestras evaluadas indujo hemólisis. Por lo tanto, los resultados sugieren que los extractos y compuestos de G. madruno tienen el potencial de ser usados en el control de bacterias Gram-positivas asociadas a diversas patologías. Este es el primer reporte de actividad antimicrobiana y hemolítica de extractos de diferente polaridad obtenidos de las semillas y epicarpios de esta especie comestible.

New insights into the effect of fermentation temperature and duration on catechins conversion and formation of tea pigments and theasinensins in black tea.

BACKGROUND: The phenol oxidative pathway during fermentation remains unclear. To elucidate the effect of fermentation on phenol conversion, we investigated the effects of fermentation temperature and duration on the conversion of catechins and the formation of theasinensins (TSs), theaflavins (TFs), thearubigins (TRs), and theabrownins (TBs). RESULTS: During fermentation, TSs formation increased initially and then decreased. Long fermentation durations were unfavorable for liquor brightness (LB) and resulted in the production of large amounts of TRs and TBs. Low fermentation temperatures (20 °C and 25 °C) favored the maintenance of polyphenol oxidase activity and the continuous formation of TFs, TSs, and TRSI (a TRs fraction), resulting in better LB and liquor color. Higher temperatures (30 °C, 35 °C, and 40 °C) resulted in higher peroxidase activity, higher oxidative depletion rates of catechins, and excessive production of TRSII (a TRs fraction) and TBs. Analysis of the conversion pathway of polyphenolic compounds during fermentation showed that, during early fermentation, large amounts of catechins were oxidized and converted to TFs and theasinensin B. As fermentation progressed, considerable amounts of theaflavin-3'-gallate, theasinensin A, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3,3'-digallate, and theasinensin C were produced and then converted to TRSI; in the final stage, TRSII and TBs were converted continuously. CONCLUSION: Different fermentation temperature and duration combinations directly affected the type and composition of phenolic compounds. The key conditions for controlling phenolic compound conversion and fermentation direction were 60 or 90 min and 25 or 30 °C. Our study provides insights into the regulation of phenolic compound conversion during black tea fermentation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anticancer Effects and Molecular Target of Theaflavins from Black Tea Fermentation in Vitro and in Vivo.

Black tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and numerous epidemiological studies have shown that drinking black tea is good for health. As a natural tea pigment formed during the fermentation of black tea, the content of theaflavins accounts for only 2-6% of the dry weight of black tea, but they have a great impact on the color and taste of black tea soup. Recently, a large number of studies have shown that theaflavins have a significant anticancer effect. In this Perspective, we first state the physical and chemical properties, separation and purification methods, and biological formation pathways of theaflavins and analyze their safety and oral bioavailability and the structure-activity relationship of their antioxidant and anticancer activities; then, we describe in detail their anticancer effect in vitro and in vivo and highlight their various molecular targets involved in cancer inhibition. The anticancer molecular targets of theaflavins are mainly cell-cycle regulatory proteins, apoptosis-related proteins, cell-migration-related proteins, and growth transcription factors. Finally, the possibility of developing new health-care food based on theaflavins is discussed. This Perspective is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the anticancer application of theaflavins in the future.

Improving the Tea Withering Process Using Ethylene or UV-C.

Using a combination of biochemical, transcriptomic, and physiological analyses, we elucidated the mechanisms of physical and chemical withering of tea shoots subjected to UV-C and ethylene treatments. UV-C irradiation (15 kJ m-2) initiated oxidation of catechins into theaflavins, increasing theaflavin-3-monogallate and theaflavin digallate by 5- and 13.2-4.4-fold, respectively, at the end of withering. Concomitantly, a rapid change to brown/red, an increase in electrolyte leakage, and the upregulation of peroxidases (viz. Px2, Px4, and Px6) and polyphenol oxidases (PPO-1) occurred. Exogenous ethylene significantly increased the metabolic rate (40%) and moisture loss (30%) compared to control during simulated withering (12 h at 25 °C) and upregulated transcripts associated with responses to dehydration and abiotic stress, such as those in the ethylene signaling pathway (viz. EIN4-like, EIN3-FBox1, and ERFs). Incorporating ethylene during withering could shorten the tea manufacturing process, while UV-C could enhance the accumulation of flavor-related compounds.

Urinary Concentrations of (+)-Catechin and (-)-Epicatechin as Biomarkers of Dietary Intake of Flavan-3-ols in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study.

This study examines the correlation of acute and habitual dietary intake of flavan-3-ol monomers, proanthocyanidins, theaflavins, and their main food sources with the urinary concentrations of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC). Participants (N = 419, men and women) provided 24-h urine samples and completed a 24-h dietary recall (24-HDR) on the same day. Acute and habitual dietary data were collected using a standardized 24-HDR software and a validated dietary questionnaire, respectively. Intake of flavan-3-ols was estimated using the Phenol-Explorer database. Concentrations of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin in 24-h urine were analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry after enzymatic deconjugation. Simple and partial Spearman's correlations showed that urinary concentrations of (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and their sum were more strongly correlated with acute than with habitual intake of individual and total monomers (acute rpartial = 0.13-0.54, p < 0.05; and habitual rpartial = 0.14-0.28, p < 0.01), proanthocyanidins (acute rpartial = 0.24-0.49, p < 0.001; and habitual rpartial = 0.10-0.15, p < 0.05), theaflavins (acute rpartial = 0.22-0.31, p < 0.001; and habitual rpartial = 0.20-0.26, p < 0.01), and total flavan-3-ols (acute rpartial = 0.40-0.48, p < 0.001; and habitual rpartial = 0.23-0.33, p < 0.001). Similarly, urinary concentrations of flavan-3-ols were weakly correlated with both acute (rpartial = 0.12-0.30, p < 0.05) and habitual intake (rpartial = 0.10-0.27, p < 0.05) of apple and pear, stone fruits, berries, chocolate and chocolate products, cakes and pastries, tea, herbal tea, wine, red wine, and beer and cider. Moreover, all comparable correlations were stronger for urinary (-)-epicatechin than for (+)-catechin. In conclusion, our data support the use of urinary concentrations of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin, especially as short-term nutritional biomarkers of dietary catechin, epicatechin and total flavan-3-ol monomers.

Quantitative changes in monosaccharides of Keemun black tea and qualitative analysis of theaflavins-glucose adducts during processing.

Monosaccharides of Keemun black tea were quantitatively determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (PMP) pre-column derivatization. The methodology of developed analytical method was established with good linearity, recovery, repeatability and precision. The quantitative results showed that D-mannose, D-glucuronic acid, D-glucose, D-galactose and L-arabinose were detected in Keemun black tea samples. D-glucose was the predominant monosaccharide in black tea, and its concentration was continuously increased from fresh tea leaves to fermentation, but after drying its concentration was significantly decreased. Meanwhile, theaflavins' concentrations were obviously decreased after drying. When theaflavins were heated with D-glucose, the loss of theaflavins was increased. Correspondingly, theaflavins also prevented the caramelization of D-glucose and restored the loss of D-glucose during heating. Through the liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry some theaflavins glucose adducts were identified.

An Untargeted Metabolomics Approach for Correlating Pulse Crop Seed Coat Polyphenol Profiles with Antioxidant Capacity and Iron Chelation Ability.

Pulse crop seed coats are a sustainable source of antioxidant polyphenols, but are typically treated as low-value products, partly because some polyphenols reduce iron bioavailability in humans. This study correlates antioxidant/iron chelation capabilities of diverse seed coat types from five major pulse crops (common bean, lentil, pea, chickpea and faba bean) with polyphenol composition using mass spectrometry. Untargeted metabolomics was used to identify key differences and a hierarchical analysis revealed that common beans had the most diverse polyphenol profiles among these pulse crops. The highest antioxidant capacities were found in seed coats of black bean and all tannin lentils, followed by maple pea, however, tannin lentils showed much lower iron chelation among these seed coats. Thus, tannin lentils are more desirable sources as natural antioxidants in food applications, whereas black bean and maple pea are more suitable sources for industrial applications. Regardless of pulse crop, proanthocyanidins were primary contributors to antioxidant capacity, and to a lesser extent, anthocyanins and flavan-3-ols, whereas glycosylated flavonols contributed minimally. Higher iron chelation was primarily attributed to proanthocyanidin composition, and also myricetin 3-O-glucoside in black bean. Seed coats having proanthocyanidins that are primarily prodelphinidins show higher iron chelation compared with those containing procyanidins and/or propelargonidins.

High-intensity ultrasound processing of baobab fruit pulp: Effect on quality, bioactive compounds, and inhibitory potential on the activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

Effect of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) compared with thermal treatments on baobab fruit pulp (BFP) quality and bioactive properties were investigated. HIU treatments, particularly at intensities of 687.5 W/cm2 for 5 min, and 344 W/cm2 for 15 min significantly (p < 0.05) increased the cloudiness index, ascorbic acid (AA) retention, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant capacity besides a more potent α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition relative to thermally treated samples. Moreover, the physicochemical parameters, colour index, and browning index were maintained with HIU besides lower 5-hydroxymethylfurfural values than thermal processing. HPLC analysis revealed that the content of most phenolic compounds was the highest in HIU treatments besides a 235-256% increase in procyanidin C1 compared with control samples. The AA retention following HIU treatments was 87.62-102.86% compared to 30.47-61.90% in thermally treated samples. Our analyses portrayed ultrasound as a feasible alternative to conventional thermal processing of BFP.

Rapid and real-time detection of black tea fermentation quality by using an inexpensive data fusion system.

Intelligent identification of black tea fermentation quality is becoming a bottleneck to industrial automation. This study presents at-line rapid detection of black tea fermentation quality at industrial scale based on low-cost micro-near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and laboratory-made computer vision system (CVS). High-performance liquid chromatography and a spectrophotometer were used for determining the content of catechins and theaflavins, and the color of tea samples, respectively. Hierarchical cluster analysis combined with sensory evaluation was used to group samples through different fermentation degrees. A principal component analysis-support vector machine (SVM) model was developed to discriminate the black tea fermentation degree using color, spectral, and data fusion information; high accuracy (calibration = 95.89%, prediction = 89.19%) was achieved using mid-level data fusion. In addition, SVM model for theaflavins content prediction was established. The results indicated that the micro-NIRS combined with CVS proved a portable and low-cost tool for evaluating the black tea fermentation quality.

Evolution of cocoa flavanol analytics: impact on reporting and cross-study comparison.

Cocoa flavanols (CF) are a group of dietary bioactives that have been studied for their potential health benefits for over two decades. In this time, multiple methods for CF testing have evolved, introducing the potential for differences in reported CF content. The reliable characterization of CF content in food and test materials used in clinical studies is critical to comparisons of research studies over time, as well as critical to enabling the systematic reviews and meta-analyses required to support dietary recommendations of bioactives. In this work, we compared two analytical methods that have been widely applied to characterize materials used in clinical research and a method newly recognized by AOAC as the official method for CF analysis. Differences in accuracy of -36% to +20% were observed when comparing CF contents determined with these methods, supporting the notion that CF values determined across methods are not directly comparable. To address differences, a linear regression model was developed to predict CF values. This approach was cross-validated and directly applied to the conversion of CF values published in key scientific papers on the benefits of CF. This work provides a valid tool to compare CF values reported across these different methods and enables comparisons and interpretation of studies investigating the bioactivity of CF.

Phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of Cinnamomum burmannii Blume extracts and their potential application in white chocolate.

This study aims at determining the potentials of cinnamon (Cinnamomun burmannii) extracts to improve the health-promoting properties of white chocolate. LC-HRMS analysis was employed to obtain information regarding the phytochemical content while the phosphomolybdenum, FRAP and DPPH assays were used to determine antioxidant activity of cinnamon extract. Furthermore, the cinnamon extract was loaded into nanoparticles before adding it to white chocolate. The results show that cinnamon extracts contained phenols up to 310 mg EE and possessed antioxidant activity up to 260 mg TAE per gram of dry extract depending on the extraction mode (i.e., traditional and ultrasonic-assisted method) and the solvent type. The cinnamon extract contained catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, quercitrin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, protocatechuic acid and cinnamic acid at levels of 51, 53, 1396, 13, 1138, 228 and 934 µg/g of dry extract, respectively. The encapsulated cinnamon extract increased the phenolic content of white chocolate from 47.6 to 1060.6 µg EE/g.

Structural characterization of native and oxidized procyanidins (condensed tannins) from coffee pulp (Coffea arabica) using phloroglucinolysis and thioglycolysis-HPLC-ESI-MS.

Procyanidins from coffee pulp are responsible from the limited valorization of this by-product. Information about procyanidin structure is still scarce and imprecise. The aim of this work was to study the native and oxidized procyanidins from coffee pulp with respect to composition and structure. An aqueous acetone extract from coffee pulp was purified using Sephadex LH-20. Butanolysis, phloroglucinolysis and thioglycolysis coupled to HLPC-ESI-MS were applied for the characterization of the native and oxidized procyanidins. The purification allowed to recovery three fractions (aqueous, ethanolic and acetonic) and only acetone fraction showed a high concentration of procyanidins (98%, w/w). HPLC-ESI-MS of procyanidins-rich fraction without any reaction resulted in a UV-Vis chromatogram unresolved typical of the presence of procyanidins. The extracted ion chromatogram and MS2 analysis revealed the presence from dimers to pentamers of native procyanidins. Interestingly, by first time an A-type trimeric procyanidin (m/z of 863) was observed in coffee pulp. In our study, (-)-epicatechin was the constitutive unit of procyanidins with an aDP of 6.8 (oligomeric native procyanidins) according to the phloroglucinolysis assay. Two oxidation markers useful to characterization of oxidized procyanidins were observed in the procyanidins-rich fraction after thioglycolysis, a dimer A2-ext and a molecule that corresponds to a linkage between an extension and a terminal unit. Coffee pulp procyanidins were presented with only a minor class of oxidized procyanidins. As far as we know, this is the first study about characterization of the oxidized procyanidins from coffee pulp.

The Qualitative and Quantitative Compositions of Phenolic Compounds in Fruits of Lithuanian Heirloom Apple Cultivars.

As the interest in heirloom cultivars of apple trees, their fruit, and processed products is growing worldwide, studies of the qualitative and quantitative composition of biological compounds are important for the evaluation of the quality and nutritional properties of the apples. Studies on the variations in the chemical composition of phenolic compounds characterized by a versatile biological effect are important when researching the genetic heritage of the heirloom cultivars in order to increase the cultivation of such cultivars in orchards. A variation in the qualitative and quantitative composition of phenolic compounds was found in apple samples of cultivars included in the Lithuanian collection of genetic resources. By the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method flavan-3-ols (procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, procyanidin C2, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin), flavonols (rutin, hyperoside, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, reynoutrin and avicularin), chlorogenic acids and phloridzin were identified and quantified in fruit samples of heirloom apple cultivars grown in Lithuania. The highest sum of the identified phenolic compounds (3.82 ± 0.53 mg/g) was found in apple fruit samples of the 'Kostele' cultivar.

Phenolic composition of 91 Australian apple varieties: towards understanding their health attributes.

INTRODUCTION: Apples, an important contributor to total dietary phenolic intake, are associated with cardiovascular health benefits. Determining the phenolic composition of apples, their individual variation across varieties, and the phenolic compounds present in plasma after apple consumption is integral to understanding the effects of apple phenolics on cardiovascular health. METHODS: Using liquid chromatography we quantified five important polyphenols and one phenolic acid with potential health benefits: quercetin glycosides, (-)-epicatechin, procyanidin B2, phloridzin, anthocyanins, and chlorogenic acid, in the skin and flesh of 19 apple varieties and 72 breeding selections from the Australian National Apple Breeding program. Furthermore, we measured the phenolic compounds in the plasma of 30 individuals post-consumption of an identified phenolic-rich apple, Cripp's Pink. RESULTS: Considerable variation in concentration of phenolic compounds was found between genotypes: quercetin (mean ± SD: 16.1 ± 5.9, range: 5.8-30.1 mg per 100 g); (-)-epicatechin (mean ± SD: 8.6 ± 5.8, range: 0.2-19.8 mg per 100 g); procyanidin B2 (mean ± SD: 11.5 ± 6.6, range: 0.5-26.5 mg per 100 g); phloridzin (mean ± SD: 1.1 ± 0.6, range: 0.3-4.3 mg per 100 g); anthocyanins (mean ± SD: 1.8 ± 4.4, range: 0-40.8 mg per 100 g); and chlorogenic acid (mean ± SD: 11.3 ± 9.9, range: 0.4-56.0 mg per 100 g). All phenolic compounds except chlorogenic acid were more concentrated in the skin compared with flesh. We observed a significant increase, with wide variation, in 14 phenolic compounds in plasma post-consumption of a phenolic-rich apple. CONCLUSION: This information makes an important contribution to understanding the potential health benefits of apples.

Quantitative analysis of proanthocyanidins in cocoa using cysteamine-induced thiolysis and reversed-phase UPLC.

The thiolysis of B-type proanthocyanidins in cocoa by cysteamine was evaluated and optimized for its application in cocoa proanthocyanidin quantification. Four thiolysis products consisting of epicatechin, catechin, and their thioethers formed with cysteamine were separated and characterized by reversed-phase UPLC with photo diode array (PDA) detection and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). A thiolysis time of 20 min under 60 °C temperature was determined as the optimal condition for cocoa proanthocyanidin depolymerization. The optimized thiolysis condition was applied to four cocoa bean samples for proanthocyanidin quantification, using commercially available procyanidin B2 dimer as a reference standard. Satisfactory linearity and quantification and detection limits were achieved for the calibration curves, and proanthocyanidin contents determined by thiolysis were found to be higher than those determined by a published method based on normal-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results in this study suggest promising application potential of cysteamine as an odorless thiolysis agent in routine quantitative analysis of B-type proanthocyanidins. Graphical abstract.