Characterisation of highly polymerised prodelphinidins from skin and flesh of four cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) genotypes

Tannins were extracted by acetone/water 60:40 from skin and flesh of four cashew apple genotypes from Brazil and Benin (West Africa), and separated from monomeric phenols. Tannins were submitted to acid-catalysed degradation in the presence of phloroglucinol and the products were analysed by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS. Both skin and flesh tannins contained high percentages of (-)-epigallocatechin and (-)epigallocatechin-O-gallate, followed by minor quantities of (-)-epicatechin and (-)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate; 100% of the compounds were the 23-cis configuration. Skin tannins were half as galloylated (similar to 20%) than flesh tannins (similar to 40%). Their weight-average molecular weight (M-w) was high. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.