Anthocyanin composition of different wild and cultivated berry species

- First time detailed HPLC-MS anthocyanin profile for many species was reported.
- Berry species varied in the number of aglycones and attached sugars.
- Cyanidin glycosides were by far the prevailing group among berry anthocyanins.
- Red fruits contained cyanidin glycosides, dark ones more delphinidin glycosides.
- Cultivated elderberry and bilberry fruit had the highest total anthocyanin content.

A broad range of anthocyanins (glycosides of cyanidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, delphinidin, malvidin, and petunidin) was identified and quantified in the fruit of 24 wild and cultivated berry species using HPLC-DAD-MS2. The anthocyanin composition in species of Ribes, Rubus, Vaccinium, and Fragaria genus as well as in less known species of Crataegus, Morus, Amelanchier, Sorbus, Sambucus and Aronia genus was determined. Cyanidin was the most commonly occurring anthocyanidin, meanwhile malvidin glycosides were only detected in blueberries. Glycosides of pelargonidin were detected in raspberries, strawberry, black mulberry and chokeberry. Peonidin glycosides were identified in hawthorn, black currant and gooseberry as well as in blueberry species. The richest species in the content of peonidin glycosides were blueberries. Delphinidin glycosides were the prevailing form of anthocyanins in black currant and bilberry. The highest total anthocyanin content was determined in dark colored fruit of cultivated elderberry and bilberry whereas light-colored dog rose and Chinese hawthorn fruit had the lowest anthocyanin content. The composition of anthocyanidin glycosides did not differ between the fruit of wild growing and cultivated species, but their contents were generally different.