Rapid characterization of anthocyanins in red raspberry fruit by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to single quadrupole mass spectrometry

Anthocyanins from red raspberries were extracted from the fruit by homogenizing in acidified methanol. The methanolic extract was centrifuged and the supernatant analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC. The eluent was monitored at 371 and 520 nm before being introduced into a single quadrupole mass spectrometer through an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization probe operating in positive ion mode. This method allowed the identification of eight anthocyanins. In the absence of readily available reference compounds, approaches that can be taken to analyse anthocyanins by HPLC with absorbance and mass spectrometric detection are discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.