Metabolipidomic Profiling Reveals Novel Acylhexosylceramides in Five Hokkaido Wine Grape Varieties Using Untargeted LC/MS

Abstract Grapes are globally recognized for their taste, bioactive compounds, and health-promoting properties. Despite its numerous health benefits, the lipid profile of this fruit remains limited. We applied a nontargeted liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry approach to investigate detailed metabolipidomic profiles of five wine grape varieties (Kerner, Kiyomai, Kiyomi, Yamasachi, and Zweigelt) harvested in Hokkaido, Japan, with fruits and seeds analyzed separately. A total of 245 lipid species in five major lipid categories were identified, and multivariate analysis revealed a distinct cultivar-specific lipid variation in Kiyomai and Zweigelt. Seeds showed higher lipid abundance than fruits. Zweigelt seeds had a high fatty acid abundance, including ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids. A sphingolipid subclass acylhexosylceramides was identified and characterized for the first time in these grape varieties and was predominantly found in Kerner and Kiyomi seeds. The specific and novel findings of this study may advance the potential application of grapes in functional food and wine quality development.