Folin-Ciocâlteu, RP-HPLC (reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography), and LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) provide complementary information for describing cider (Malus spp.) apple juice

Polyphenols contribute to the flavor, aroma, color, microbial stability, and potential health benefits of hard (fermented) cider. In this study, 14 apple ( Malus spp.) genotypes, with total polyphenol concentrations ranging from 560 to 4,860 mg L -1 (using the Folin-Ciocâlteu assay), were further analyzed for polyphenol composition using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among the 19 polyphenols quantified by RP-HPLC, the most abundant classes were hydroxycinnamates and flavan-3-ols. The Malus ioensis hybrid ‘Kola’ exhibited the greatest total polyphenol concentration (1,428.5 mg L -1 ); RP-HPLC analysis showed that ‘Kola’ had a polyphenolic profile predominantly composed of chlorogenic acid (1,311 mg L -1 ). The Malus sieversii seedling ‘Kaz 95 18-06’ had a total polyphenol concentration of 1,093 mg L -1 , with flavan-3-ols (860 mg L -1 ) as the predominant polyphenols. Additionally, the Malus coronaria hybrid ‘Zapta’ had the greatest concentration of phlorizin (80 mg L -1 ), a dihydrochalcone. Furthermore, untargeted LC-MS analysis identified 120 polyphenols across these 14 genotypes, some of them are well-known polyphenols reported in apple fruit and cider and others unknown with potential nutraceutical effects (e.g. phellavin and guaijaverin). In summary, our research contributes valuable insights into the use of each of these analytical methods and identifies several apple genotypes with the potential for use for hard cider, breeding, physiological studies, and human health. • Apple polyphenols play a key role in flavor, aroma, color, and mouthfeel • RP-HPLC analysis of 14 cultivars revealed the presence of 19 polyphenols • Kola exhibited the highest concentration of chlorogenic acid (1311 mg L -1 ) • Kaz 95 18-06 showcased the highest levels of flavan-3-ols (860 mg L -1 ) • Untargeted LC-MS analysis unveiled a total of 120 polyphenols across 14 cultivars