Comparison of anthocyanin pigment and other phenolic compounds of Vaccinium membranaceum and Vaccinium ovatum native to the Pacific Northwest of North America

Two huckleberry species, Vaccinium membranaceum and Vaccinium ovatum, native to Pacific Northwestern North America, were evaluated for their total, and individual, anthocyanin and polyphenolic compositions. Vaccinium ovatum had greater total anthocyanin (ACY), total phenolics (TP), oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) than did V. membranaceum. The pH and degrees Brix were also higher in V. ovatum. Berry extracts from each species were separated into three different fractions--anthocyanin, polyphenolic, and sugar/acid-by solid-phase extraction. The anthocyanin fractions of each species had the highest amount of ACY, TP, and antioxidant activity. Each species contained 15 anthocyanins (galactoside, glucoside, and arabinoside of delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin, and malvidin) but in different proportions. Their anthocyanin profiles were similar by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (LC-DAD) and high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and mass spectrometry detections (LC-DAD-MS). Each species had a different polyphenolic profile. The polyphenolics of both species were mainly composed of cinnamic acid derivatives and flavonol glycosides. The major polyphenolic compound in V. membranaceum was neochlorogenic acid, and in V. ovatum, chlorogenic acid.