title: Contribution to the characterization of Opuntia spp. juices by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS.
abstract: Opuntia spp. fruits are considered as health promoting foods due to the diversity of bioactive molecules found in these fruits. The composition in organic acids, flavonols and betalains in the Opuntia ficus-indica juice from a region of Portugal was accomplished for the first time by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry using an electrospray ionization source operating in negative and positive mode. The methodology used allowed the detection of 44 compounds, from which 32 were identified. Isorhamnetin derivatives were the dominant flavonol glycosides. A total of 9 betalains including 6 betaxanthins and 3 betacyanin were also detected in the fruit juice samples and indicaxanthin, betanin and isobetanin were the major pigments. Phenolic acid and phenylpyruvic acid derivatives were also identified. To our knowledge, it is the first time derivative compounds from piscidic acid, phenolic compounds and betalains are characterized in cactus pear juice using a single LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS method.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-019 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-019 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-019 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Semedo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: C M M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-019 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal. Electronic address: mbronze@itqb.unl.pt.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bronze
mesh_terms: D050859:Betacyanins / Q000032:analysis; D050860:Betaxanthins / Q000032:analysis; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D044948:Flavonols / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D011174:Portugal; D011725:Pyridines / Q000032:analysis; D011794:Quercetin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D050859:Betacyanins; D050860:Betaxanthins; D044948:Flavonols; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011725:Pyridines; C469628:indicaxanthin; C047368:3-methylquercetin; D011794:Quercetin
keywords: Betalains; LC–DAD–ESI-MS/MS; Opuntia spp.; Organic acids; Phenols; Phenylpyruvic acid derivatives