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Studies into the phenolic patterns of different tissues of pineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) infructescence by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn and GC-MS analysis

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Abstract

In a comprehensive study, more than 60 phenolic compounds were detected in methanolic extracts from different tissues of pineapple infructescence by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray ionisation multiple-stage mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn) as well as by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analytical workflow combining both methods revealed numerous compounds assigned for the first time as pineapple constituents by their mass fragmentations. Pineapple crown tissue was characterised by depsides of p-coumaric and ferulic acid. In contrast, major phenolic compounds in pineapple pulp extracts were assigned to diverse S-p-coumaryl, S-coniferyl and S-sinapyl derivatives of glutathione, N-l-γ-glutamyl-l-cysteine and l-cysteine, which were also identified in the peel. The latter was additionally characterised by elevated concentrations of p-coumaric, ferulic and caffeic acid depsides and glycerides, respectively. Two peel-specific cyanidin hexosides were found. Elevated concentrations of isomeric N,N′-diferuloylspermidines may be a useful tool for the detection of fraudulent peel usage for pineapple juice production. Mass fragmentation pathways of characteristic pineapple constituents are proposed, and their putative biological functions are discussed.

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Abbreviations

bp intensity:

Base peak intensity

CID:

Collision-induced dissociation

CR:

Crown

E(Z):

Pyroglutamic acid

ESI-MS:

Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

GC-MS:

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

GSH:

Glutathione

hex:

Hexose

HPLC-DAD:

High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection

LLE:

Liquid-liquid extraction

LRI:

Linear retention index

MS:

Mass spectrometry

NMR:

Nuclear magnetic resonance

PTFE:

Polytetrafluoroethylene

RP:

Reversed phase

SPE:

Solid-phase extraction

TIC:

Total ion current

t R :

Retention time

γ-EC:

N-l-γ-Glutamyl-l-cysteine

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Acknowledgments

C.B.S. gratefully acknowledges a Ph.D. scholarship granted by the Landesgraduiertenförderung Baden-Württemberg. We thank Frank Oberschilp (Peelco, Accra, Ghana) and Fritz Schumacher (Schumacher, Filderstadt-Bernhausen, Germany) for kindly supplying the pineapple fruits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, Hohenheim University, Garbenstrasse 25, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Christof B. Steingass, Mona P. Glock, Ralf M. Schweiggert & Reinhold Carle

  2. Biological Science Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80257, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Reinhold Carle

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  1. Christof B. Steingass
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  2. Mona P. Glock
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  3. Ralf M. Schweiggert
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  4. Reinhold Carle
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Correspondence to Christof B. Steingass.

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Steingass, C.B., Glock, M.P., Schweiggert, R.M. et al. Studies into the phenolic patterns of different tissues of pineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) infructescence by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn and GC-MS analysis. Anal Bioanal Chem 407, 6463–6479 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-8811-2

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