Phytochemical profiles and classification of Agave syrups using ¹H-NMR and chemometrics

Agave syrups are natural sweeteners that are highly desirable for human consumption because they have low glycemic index. In this work, we explored the potential of ¹H-NMR-Chemometrics as a useful tool in the identification and differentiation of Agave syrups. Also, we evaluated the phytochemical screening and antioxidant capacity of Agave syrup compared to other natural sweeteners.

The phytochemical screening stands out for Agave syrups containing higher levels of metabolites with antioxidant activity, mainly saponins, glycosides, and terpenoids. Agave syrup antioxidant activity was in a range from 10% to 53%, while the total phenolic content was from 24 to 300 EAG/100 g, and condensed tannins were between 240 and 1,900 mg CE/g. Additionally, ¹H-NMR spectroscopy was used to characterize syrup profiles and chemometrics. PCA group analyses allowed the sweeteners' classification by origin and kind of Agave.

Thus, we conclude that ¹H-NMR and chemometrics can be used for identifying, differentiating, and classifying Agave syrups. Besides, Agave syrups contain significant amounts of antioxidative components and can be considered as an effective source of antioxidant.