Identification and quantification of ergosterol and phenolic compounds occurring in Tuber spp. truffles

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis 2012-05, Vol.26 (1-2), p.177-182
• Main Authors: Villares, Ana, García-Lafuente, Ana, Guillamón, Eva, Ramos, Álvaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Antioxidant; antioxidant activity; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical Sciences; Ergosterol; Ergosteryl ester; esters; Food analysis; Food and Nutrition; Food composition; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungus; General aspects; high performance liquid chromatography; Life Sciences; lipid peroxidation; Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards; Mushroom; p-coumaric acid; Phenolic; Truffle; Tuber aestivum; Tuber aestivum Vittad; Tuber indicum Cooke&Massee; Tuber melanosporum; Tuber melanosporum Vittad; tubers
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2011.12.003

► Truffles Tuber melanosporum, Tuber aestivum and Tuber indicum were studied. ► An ergosteryl ester was found, with concentration from 1.28 to 1.80mg/g. ► Truffles contained between 1 and 2mg of phenolics per g of dried matter. ► The o- and p-coumaric acids were detected only in T. aestivum. ► All the truffles showed inhibition of lipid oxidation. A study was conducted to quantify the mycochemical composition of the truffles Tuber melanosporum, Tuber aestivum and Tuber indicum in terms of ergosterol and phenolic contents. The ergosterol concentration ranged from 1.28 to 1.80mg/g of dried matter. An ergosteryl ester was found in all truffles, and the concentration was considerably higher in T. aestivum (0.36mg of ergosterol equivalents/g of dried matter) in comparison to T. melanosporum (0.10mg/g) and T. indicum (0.09mg/g). The total phenolic content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, and the truffles contained between 1 and 2mg of phenolics per g of dried matter. The individual phenolic compounds were separated and identified by high performance liquid chromatography. Diverse phenolic acids, namely gallic, homogentisic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, o- and p-coumaric acids and other phenolic derivatives, such as 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, were found. The profile and content depended on the truffle species; thus, the hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, o- and p-coumaric acids, were only detected in T. aestivum. All the truffles showed inhibition of lipid oxidation, being T. aestivum the most effective (24% inhibition) followed by T. indicum (23% inhibition) whereas T. melanosporum was the truffle with the lowest antioxidant activity (18% inhibition).