Anthocyanin Patterns in Ripening Thornless Blackberries

Abstract

The pigments of thornless blackberry fruit were investigated by analytical and preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to characterize anthocyanin patterns in representative cultivars and to determine the effects of ripening on these patterns. Cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside were positively identified. In addition, a cyanidin derivative containing xylose and 2 dicarboxylic acid-acylated derivatives of cyanidin-3-glucoside were tentatively identified. Five different anthocyanin patterns were seen among the 33 cultivars and selections compared. During ripening, cyanidin-3-glucoside increased to a greater extent than the other pigments. The accumulation of individual anthocyanins was linearly related to the total anthocyanin content and to the soluble solids : acidity ratio. Cultivar differences in anthocyanin patterns and changes in individual anthocyanins in fruit approaching full ripeness are insufficient to influence fruit color.