QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF Rubus FRUIT ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENTS

ABSTRACT The distribution of individual anthocyanin pigments in the fruits of 43 Rubus clones was determined by TLC and densitometry. Quantitative estimates of anthocyanin pigments were based on absorbance at 533 nm. The fruit of all red and black raspberries and blackberries contained cyanidin 3‐glucoside. Some blackberries also contained cyanidin 3‐rutinoside. Cyanidin 3‐rutinoside and cyanidin 3‐glucosylrutinoside were also present in most red raspberries. Cyanidin 3‐sophoroside was present only in red raspberry and red raspberry hybrids while cyandin 3‐sambubioside and cyanidin 3‐xylosylrutinoside were found only in black raspberries. R. crataegifolius, R. morifolius, R. illecebrosus and R. parviflorus each contained pelargonidin glycosides as major pigments. Black raspberry had the highest anthocyanin content, over 200 mg/100g of fruit, and red raspberry had the lowest, less than 60 mg/100g. Blackberry was generally intermediate in anthocyanin content between red and black raspberries.