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UHPLC-DAD Multi-Method for Determination of Phenolics in Aromatic Plants

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Abstract

The aim of this paper was to develop and validate a method of ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD), which allows quantifying simultaneously 19 phenolic compounds in aromatic plants. Twenty-one fresh and dried aromatic plants were extracted with methanol before their UHPLC-DAD analysis. The method was validated regarding specificity, working range, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), precision, and accuracy. The developed method allows detecting and quantifying the phenolic compounds at low concentrations (LOD < 0.15 μg/mL, except for carnosol and carnosic acid). The relative standard deviation obtained was lower than 5.73 and 8.75%, for repeatability and intermediate precision, respectively. The proposed method is straightforward and sensitive, with good precision and accuracy. Dried thyme presented the highest diversity of phenolic compounds and rosmarinic acid was present in most of the samples. This analytical tool is a valid alternative to conventional methods to quantify phenolic compounds in aromatic plants or in their extracts.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the project PTDC/AGRTEC/3366/2012 with the acronym Rose4Pack (Biodegradable active packaging with rosemary extract (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) to improve food shelf-life) funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and COMPETE Program (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-028015). Regiane Ribeiro dos Santos (BEX 8754/14-4) is grateful for her research grant funded by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES).

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Author notes

  1. Ana Sofia Oliveira and Regiane Ribeiro-Santos contributed equally to the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacy Faculty, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Ana Sofia Oliveira, Fernando Ramos & Maria Conceição Castilho

  2. Department of Food and Nutrition, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, I.P, Lisbon, Portugal

    Regiane Ribeiro-Santos

  3. Department of Food Technology, Institute of Technology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil

    Regiane Ribeiro-Santos

  4. CNC – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Pharmacy Faculty, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Fernando Ramos

  5. National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV), Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal

    Ana Sanches-Silva

  6. Center for Study in Animal Science (CECA), ICETA, University of Oporto, Oporto, Portugal

    Ana Sanches-Silva

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  1. Ana Sofia Oliveira
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Correspondence to Ana Sanches-Silva.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (PTDC/AGRTEC/3366/2012), COMPETE Program (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-028015), and the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) (BEX 8754/14-4).

Conflict of Interest

Ana Sofia Oliveira declares that she has no conflict of interest. Regiane Ribeiro dos Santos declares that she has no conflict of interest. Fernando Ramos declares that he has no conflict of interest. Maria Conceição Castilho declares that she has no conflict of interest. Ana Sanches Silva declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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Oliveira, A.S., Ribeiro-Santos, R., Ramos, F. et al. UHPLC-DAD Multi-Method for Determination of Phenolics in Aromatic Plants. Food Anal. Methods 11, 440–450 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-017-1015-y

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