HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS as a Tool for Carotenoid Assessment of Wild and Cultivated Cherry Tomatoes

Abstract

Carotenoids are naturally occurring fat-soluble pigments found in many organisms. Because of their extensively conjugated carbon–carbon double bond system, carotenoids are potent antioxidants. Although the most abundant carotenoid and best singlet oxygen quencher found in red tomatoes is lycopene, carotenoid profiles may vary between genotypes. The objective of this work was to perform carotenoid profile indentification using HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS in ten wild cherry tomato accessions and one cultivated tomato. A mixture of hexane/acetone/ethanol (50:25:25) and 0.1% BHT was used for carotenoid extraction. For separation, a C30 column at 30 °C with a gradient consisting of methanol, methyl-tert-butyl ether, and water was used for their analysis. Ten major carotenoids were quantified within cherry tomato samples. All accessions present different profiles and quantities of carotenoids. Wild red tomatoes had more lycopene content that commercial tomato, whereas yellow tomatoes present no lycopene. From a functional viewpoint, higher concentrations of carotenoids that could play an antioxidant activity were measured from accessions IAC401, IAC426, LA1480, IAC391, and LA2692. This trait means that these germplasms may be targets for commercial activities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS has been used to analyze these accessions of wild cherry tomatoes that are both functionally promising and suitable for projects with social implementation at a local scale.

Delving into the Bioactive and Nutritional Compounds in Bolivian Accessions of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Fruits: Relationship with Genetic, Phenotypic, and Origin Indicators

“…Thus, the present study clearly emphasizes the importance of the genetic background of genotypes for the content of various bioactive compounds in tomato, and that such information can be used in breeding to increase the nutritional potential of the tomatoes. The present study, together with previous findings, 28 indicate a specific potential of the uses of wild tomato genotypes and relatives in the breeding for highly nutritious tomatoes, as such genotypes often have high contents of carotenoids, 29 and other bioactive compounds. Domestication normally leads to selected individuals with desirable quality characteristics, such as larger size, heavier weight, and resistance to diseases, and this is generally termed the domestication syndrome.…”

Identification and quantification of pigments in plant leaves using thin layer chromatography-Raman spectroscopy (TLC-Raman)

“…Alternatively, liquid chromatography or liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods (HPLC-DAD/PDA/UV-Vis/MS-MS) are oen used to analyze carotenoid content of plant samples. [16][17][18][19][20][21] These procedures require lengthy sample preparation and run times, along with signicant method development in some cases. Prior work investigating Raman signals of plant leaves has indicated challenges in statistically signicant quantication of individual carotenoids using supplementary techniques such as HPLC.…”