ESTER-LINKED PHENOLIC COMPONENTS OF CARROT CELL-WALLS

The cold alkali-labile cell wall phenolics of carrot storage roots hav e been examined by diode-array HPLC following sequential treatment of purified wall material with aqueous sodium hydroxide of increasing str ength. In addition to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and ferulic acid, which ha ve previously been reported from this source, a range of other typical wall-bound phenolic aldehydes and cinnamic acid derivatives were also identified. An 8-O-4'-linked dehydrodiferulic acid, which has recentl y also been identified as a major ferulic acid dimer in several monoco ts, was found to be present in readily measurable quantities, and othe r putative dimers were also noted. At least ca. 30% of the total ferul ic acid existed in dimer form. Cell wall phenolics might have a role t o play in influencing the physical properties of carrot tissue.