FRACTIONATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE PHENOLIC-COMPOUNDS OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES (VACCINIUM-CORYMBOSUM, L)

A scheme for the fractionation of flavonoid and nonflavonoid compounds is presented. The phenolic compounds of Highbush blueberries (cultiva r 'Coville') were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography a nd thin-layer chromatography. Fifteen anthocyanins were identified as the 3-monoglucoside, 3-monogalactoside and 3-monoarabinoside of delphi nidin, cyanidin, malvidin, peonidin and petunidin. No acyl anthocyanin was detected. Derivatives of malvidin and delphinidin were the most a bundant; the 3-monogalactoside constituted 41% of the anthocyanin. Fou r flavonol glycosides were also identified as the kaempferol-3-O-gluco side, 3-O-glucoside, 3-O-galactoside and 3-O-rhamnoside of quercetin. The major phenolic acid was chlorogenic acid. After hydrolysis of the phenolic neutral fraction (FA), gallic, syringic and vanillic acids we re identified by TLC. These acids appeared to be present in their este r forms, probably as glucoside esters.