Determination of carotenoid profiles in grapes, musts, and fortified winesfrom douro varieties of Vitis vinifera

beta -Carotene and six xanthophylls (lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lute oxanthin, cryptoxanthin, and echinenone) have been identified and semiquant itatively or quantitatively determined in musts and port wines for the firs t time. An HPLC method was developed and compared with that of one based on thin layer cromatography with scanning densitometry. The most abundant car otenoids present in red grape varieties are beta -carotene and lutein. In w ines, significant quantities of violaxanthin, luteoxanthin, and neoxanthin were found. This study was done with berries (skin and pulp), musts, and fo rtified wines. Some experiments were performed to follow carotenoid content from grapes to wines. Although the levels of beta -carotene and lutein fou nd in fortified wines were lower than those found in musts, other xanthophy lls, such as neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and luteoxanthin, exist in appreciab le amounts in young ports.