POLYPHENOLIC COMPOSITION OF QUERCUS-SUBER CORK FROM DIFFERENT SPANISHPROVENANCES

Polyphenolic composition was studied by HPLC and classical chemical me thods in reproduction cork of Quercus suber from different Spanish pro venances. The low molecular weight polyphenols (gallic, protocatechuic , vanillic, caffeic, ferulic, and ellagic acids; protocatechuic, vanil lic, coniferyl, and sinapic aldehydes; and aesculetin and scopoletin) and the ellagitannins (roburins A and E, grandinin, vescalagin, and ca stalagin) were identified and quantified. Ellagic acid was the main co mponent in the ether soluble fraction, and the group of hydrolyzable t annins, and among them castalagin, was the most abundant in the tannic extract in all the samples. Although there was an important variabili ty among provenances, no significant differences were found in the tot al tannin content and in the individual content of each ellagitannin. However, gallic and caffeic acids and protocatechuic aldehyde provided the greatest discrimination among provenances.