Polyphenolic constituents of fruit pulp of Euterpe oleracea Mart.: (Acai palm)

The polyphenolic composition of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (Acai palm) fruit was investigated by HPLC-DAD-UV-Vis and HPLC-MS. Acai palm is widely diffused and cultivated in Amazon regions and especially in the Para state (Brazil), because the pulp of the fruit is largely consumed as food. This study confirms the presence of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside as major anthocyanic compounds. Moreover, four main compounds were also identified for the first time, i.e. homoorientin, orientin, taxifolin deoxyhexose, and isovitexin. Traces of a methyl-derivative of homoorientin were also detected. The amount of total anthocyanins was 0.5 mg g(-1) of the dried pulp weight and the amount of the other flavonoids was 3.5 mg g(-1) of the dried pulp weight. No other reports on the presence of non-anthocyanic flavonoids in Euterpe oleracea Mart. have been found so far.