Author(s):
González-Paramás, A.M. 
; Lopes-da-Silva, M.F. ; Martin-Lopez, P. ; Macz-Pop, G. ; Gonzalez-Manzano, S. ; Alcalde-Eon, C. ; Perez-Alonso, J.J. ; Escribano-Bailón, M.T. ; Rivas-Gonzalo, J.C. ; Santos-Buelga, Celestino
Date: 2006
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/5857
Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Subject(s): Flavanol-anthocyanin; Condensed pigments; Strawberry; Runner bean; Purple corn; Grape skin
Description
Pigments resulting from the direct condensation of anthocyanins and flavanols are usually associated with reactions taking place during processing and storage of plant-derived foods and beverages and have been particularly studied in aged red wines. In this paper, small amounts of flavanol-anthocyanin condensed pigments are found in different plant extracts. Structures are suggested for 10 such condensed pigments detected in extracts of strawberry, runner beans, purple corn and grape skins, based on their MS" fragmentation patterns, following analyses by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. All of them correspond to dimers containing a flavan-3-ol [either (epi)afzelechin, (epi)catechin or (epi)gallocatechin] as the upper unit carbon-carbon linked to a lower anthocyanin unit consisting of different delphinidin, cyanidin, pelargonidin, peonidin or malvidin derivatives. The detection of these pigments in plant extracts may suggest that they are natural pigments and not products exclusively formed during storage and ageing of processed foods and beverages, as was previously assumed.
