Anthocyanin fingerprinting of true bokbunja (Rubus coreanus Miq.) fruit

The interest in black raspberry products has been increasing due to its flavor and potential health benefits. While black raspberries grown in North America are Rubus occidentalis, there has been some confusion regarding the identity of black raspberry grown in Korea (known as bokbunja; Rubus coreanus). As such, there is a need to define the anthocyanin profile of R. coreanus fruit collected from a verified source. We analyzed three genotypes of bokbunja fruit for anthocyanin profiles. While each varied in its anthocyanin proportions and total concentration, bokbunja fruit contained three anthocyanins: cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, and pelargonidin-3-glucoside, and lacked the xylose containing glycosides characteristic of R. occidentalis: cyanidin-3-sambubioside, and cyanidin-3-xylosylrutinoside. Due to mix-ups of bokbunja identity, research claiming to be conducted on bokbunja fruit requires confirmation that the fruit was sourced from a correctly identified plant. The distinct anthocyanin profiles between the two species can be used to confirm plant identity. Published by Elsevier Ltd.