<br/>Pomegranate fruits, extracts and derived juices are known by their health effects that have been demonstrated in human and animal studies, and supported by mechanistic assays in vitro. The health effects have been attributed to the major polyphenols constituents, the ellagitannins, that show a high antioxidant activity in vitro, or their gut microbiota metabolites, the urolithins. In the present study we have analysed the proanthocyanidin and flavan-3-ol content of pomegranate fruits, derived food products (juices) and extracts, by using HPLC-DAD-MS (ESI, IT, MS-MS), of the naturally occurring extracts and after the degradation of the pronathicyanidins by the phloroglucinolysis method. The quantification was done by HPLC-MS using authentic standards, as this was not possible with UV detection, due to the predominant ellagitannins in the chromatogram. The study shows that the occurrence of proanthocyanidins in pomegranate and derived food products and nutraceuticals is significant, and they should be considered as contributors to their health effects in future studies. Proanthocyanidins are mainly present in the fruit husk, and extracts produced from the peel and membranes, although they are also present in the edible parts of the fruit and in the juices.<br/>

Pomegranate fruit juice, dietary supplements and extracts rich in ellagitannins also provide a significant content of a wide range of proanthocyanidins

256th National Meeting (2018)

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