Determination of anthocyanins from acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) and acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS

The anthocyanins from acerola and acai, two tropical fruits known for their bioactive compounds, were studied. Two varieties of acerola in natura and one brand of frozen pulp of acai were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography connected to photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS). The acai pulp presented 282-303mg/100g of total anthocyanin, with predominance of cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside, in average proportions of 13% and 87%, respectively. The composition of the two acerola varieties (Waldy Cati 30 and Olivier) were similar, being cyanidin 3-rhamnoside (76-78%) the major anthocyanin, followed by pelargonidin 3-rhamnoside (12-15%). The acerola Waldy variety showed total anthocyanin content of 6.5-7.6mg/100g, while 7.9-8.4mg/100g were found in the Olivier variety, for fruits harvested in 2003 and 2004. No statistical differences were found between varieties and harvests for the total anthocyanin content in acerola fruits. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.