The hidden face of food phenolic composition

Plant polyphenols are extremely diverse, due to the occurrence of several basic structures, numerous substitutions and, for some groups, of polymers (tannins). Plant polyphenol composition depends on the plant species and organ, with some molecules specific of particular plant families while others are ubiquitous. The polyphenol content is classically assessed by global analysis methods, which lack specificity and accuracy. These methods have been replaced with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), that enables accurate determination of individual molecules, provided they can be unambiguously identified and calibration curves can be established. However, HPLC analysis is restricted to simple compounds and difficult to apply in the case of complex extracts. Further difficulties encountered in the case of polymers include irreversible adsorption on the stationary phases. Proanthocyanidin analysis by HPLC after acid-catalysed depolymerisation in the presence of a nucleophile permits to overcome these problems and shows that proanthocyanidins predominate in the polyphenol composition of most plants. Large varietal differences in tannin quantitative and qualitative composition were observed for all plant species studied. Moreover, analysis is usually performed after extraction, which may lead to significant underestimation of the polyphenol content, since a large proportion is not extracted by usual solvents. This may be due to covalent binding to other plant constituents and to non-covalent adsorption on plant solids. Such matrix effect also influences the taste perception of polyphenols and their fate in the digestive tract, from in-mouth interactions with salivary proteins to their metabolism by colon microflora, with potential influence on bioavailability.