HPLC determination of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments in processed green pea cultivars (Pisum sativum L.)

Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments from six cultivars of processed green p eas (Avola, Tristar, Rampart, Turon, Bella, and Greenshaft) were extracted with 100% acetone and analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC. A total of 17 pigmen ts were identified in the pea cultivars including 8 xanthophylls ((all-E)-n eoxanthin, (9'Z)-neoxanthin, (all-E)-violaxanthin, neochrome, (all-E)-lutei n epoxide, (all-E)-lutein, neolutein B, neolutein A), 4 chlorophyll b relat ed compounds (chlorophyll b derivative, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll b', and pheophytin b), 4 chlorophyll a related compounds (chlorophyll a derivative, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a', and pheophytin a), and (all-E)-beta -carote ne. The efficiency of different extraction procedures using 100% acetone sh owed that initial extraction followed by three reextractions without holdin g time between gave a higher extraction yield than no reextraction and 30 o r 60 min holding time, All six cultivars contained the same pigments, but t he concentration of each pigment varied significantly. On average of the tw o years, the chlorophyll a concentration varied from 4800 to 7300 mug/100 g fresh weight, the chlorophyll b concentration from 2100 to 2800 mug/100 g fresh weight, the (all-E)-lutein concentration from 1200 to 1900 mug/100 g fresh weight, and the (all-E)-beta -carotene concentration from 300 to 490 mug/100 g fresh weight in the processed pea cultivars. These differences in pigment concentration between the investigated cultivars are discussed in relation to maturity, product color and nutritional quality.