Study of uv-vis molar absorptivity variation and quantitation of anthocyanins using molar relative response factor

Authors: DONG, WEN - Middle Tennessee State University; YANG, XING - Middle Tennessee State University; Chen, Pei; Sun, Jianghao; Harnly, James - Jim; ZHANG, MENGLIANG - Middle Tennessee State University

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2024
Publication Date: 2/5/2024
Citation: Dong, W., Yang, X., Chen, P., Sun, J., Harnly, J.M., Zhang, M., Zhang, N. 2024. Study of uv-vis molar absorptivity variation and quantitation of anthocyanins using molar relative response factor. Food Chemistry. 444:138653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138653.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138653

Interpretive Summary: The effects of anthocyanin’s substitution groups on the UV-Vis molar absorptivity were examined by analyzing a group of 31 reference standards. The substitution groups caused absorbance maxima ('max) shift and molar absorptivity change, which was dependent on the substitution position. A simple yet comprehensive strategy based on the molar relative response factors (MRRFs) and a single master reference calibration was proposed to compensate for the quantitative errors. MRRFs of 617 anthocyanins/anthocyanidins were calculated and the information is freely available at https://BotanicalDC.online/anthocyanin/. The strategy was applied to the analysis of anthocyanins in red cabbage, blueberry, and strawberry samples. The results indicate this approach provides an effective, inexpensive, and accurate method for quantitative analysis of many anthocyanins in food materials without using individual reference standards.

Technical Abstract: The effects of anthocyanin’s substitution groups on the UV-Vis molar absorptivity were examined by analyzing a group of 31 anthocyanidin/anthocyanin reference standards with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD). The hydroxylation and glycosylation on aglycones caused absorbance maxima ('max) shift and molar absorptivity change, which was dependent on the substitution position. Such molar absorptivity variation was often neglected in anthocyanin quantitation, resulting in significant analytical errors. A simple yet comprehensive strategy based on the molar relative response factors (MRRFs) and a single master reference calibration (i.e., cyanidin-3-glucoside) was proposed to compensate for the quantitative errors. MRRFs of 617 anthocyanins/anthocyanidins were calculated and the information is freely available at https://BotanicalDC.online/anthocyanin/. The strategy was applied to the analysis of anthocyanins in red cabbage, blueberry, and strawberry samples. The results indicate this approach provides an effective, inexpensive, and accurate method for quantitative analysis of many anthocyanins in food materials without using individual reference standards.