Flavanones in oranges, tangerines (mandarins), tangors, and tangelos: a compilation and review of the data from the analytical literature

Flavanones constitute the majority of flavonoids in citrus fruits such as sweet (Citrus sinensis) and sour oranges (C. aurantium) and their near relatives-tangerines/mandarins (C. reticulata), tangors and tangelos. The relevant chemical analytic literature was searched, abstracted, documented, standardized, examined for quality, enumerated, and summarized in a database for these citrus flavanones: hesperidin, naringin, narirutin, eriocitrin, neoliesperidin, didymin, neoeriocitrin, and poncirin. Sour oranges had a distinct flavanone profile dominated by naringin and neoliesperidin, and were highest in total flavanones (summed means) (48 mg/100 g aglycones). Total flavanones (summed means) in sweet oranges,, tangerines, and tangors were similar (similar to 20 mg/100 g), and hesperidin and narirutin dominated the flavanone profiles for these three fruits. Total flavanones (summed means) in tangelos (30 mg/100) were midway between sour and sweet oranges and the tangelo flavanone profile exhibited characteristics of both species. The database provides information on several varieties of citrus and eight flavanone compounds. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.