HPLC fingerprints for the authentication of cranberry-based products based on multivariate calibration approaches

Abstract

This work introduces the topic of the authentication of cranberry-based products and the detection and quantification of possible adulterations with other raw materials of lower quality. For such a purpose, genuine and adulterated cranberry samples were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC with UV detection. Sample components were separated using an elution gradient based on 0.1% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution and methanol as the components of the mobile phase. Chromatograms were recorded at 280, 370 and 520 nm. Data resulting from the injection of pure and adulterated samples, consisting of chromatographic fingerprints at each detection wavelength, were analyzed chemometrically. Preliminary studies by Principal Component Analysis showed that the sample extracts were clearly distributed depending on the extent of adulteration. Data was further treated by Partial Least Square regression to determine the percentages of grape contamination. It was found that even mixture samples containing low percentages of grape could be distinguished from genuine cranberry extracts. Besides, results obtained were highly satisfactory, with overall quantification errors lower than 5%. As a conclusion, the method proposed here resulted in an excellent approach to carry out the authentication of cranberry-based products relying on polyphenolic fingerprints.