Ultra-performance liquid chromatographic separation of geometric isomers of carotenoids and antioxidant activities of 20 tomato cultivars and breeding lines

• Published in: Food chemistry 2012-05, Vol.132 (1), p.508-517
• Main Authors: Li, Hongyan, Deng, Zeyuan, Liu, Ronghua, Loewen, Steven, Tsao, Rong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: absorption; Antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; beta Carotene - analysis; beta-carotene; Biological and medical sciences; Breeding; breeding lines; Carotenoid; Carotenoids; Chromatography, Liquid - methods; cis-Isomers; cultivars; Food industries; food industry; Fruit and vegetable industries; functional properties; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Isomerism; isomers; lutein; lycopene; Lycopersicon esculentum - chemistry; plant breeders; researchers; Tomato; tomatoes; ultra-performance liquid chromatography; UPLC
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.10.017

► A new UPLC method for the separation of carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene and lutein). ► Identify and quantify three all-trans and 22 cis-carotenoids of tomato by UPLC in 15min. ► Carotenoid profiles and genetic variation of 20 accessions of tomato (many are unique). ► Antioxidant activities of 20 tomato cultivars and breeding lines. ► Correlation between the carotenoids and antioxidant activities. All-trans-lutein, lycopene, β-carotene and their 22 cis-isomers in 20 tomato breeding were separated and identified by a rapid and sensitive UPLC method using a 1.7μm C18 column and a new gradient mobile phase based on methanol–MTBE–water in 15min. All-trans-carotenoids were predominant, but 9-cis, 13-cis-lutein, 5-cis, 9-cis, 13-cis, 15-cis, di-cis-lycopene, 9-cis, 13-cis, 15-cis and di-cis-β-carotene were also found. The cis-isomers were identified using absorption around 330nm and the Q-ratio. The total antioxidant activities as evaluated by PCL and DPPH assays were found to correlate well with the total carotenoid content, but not with the individual carotenoid or its different isomers. This paper provides an efficient analytical method for obtaining a complete picture of carotenoids in tomatoes. It can be a valuable tool for plant breeders, food processors and researchers in developing designer tomatoes and tomato-products with unique carotenoid compositions, and functional properties.