Chemical Comparison of Monk Fruit Products Processed by Different Drying Methods Using High-Performance Thin-Layer...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii), also known as Luo Han Guo, is utilized in food and traditional Chinese medicine.
• Post-harvest preservation of monk fruit commonly involves hot-air or low-temperature drying techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for analyzing key compounds in monk fruit products.
• To investigate the chemical differences in monk fruit samples processed by different drying methods using chemometric analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of a high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method.
• Analysis of 13 mogrosides, 1 flavonoid, and 3 sugars in monk fruit products.
• Application of chemometric analysis to compare samples dried by different methods.

Main Results:

• Low-temperature drying significantly retained higher levels of mogroside V, 11-oxo-mogroside V, isomogroside V, and sucrose compared to hot-air drying.
• HPTLC-scanning corroborated the chemometric findings regarding compound preservation.
• Distinct chemical profiles were observed between monk fruit samples processed with different drying techniques.

Conclusions:

• HPTLC coupled with chemometric analysis offers a robust method for differentiating monk fruit products based on drying processes.
• The study highlights the impact of drying methods on the phytochemical composition of monk fruit.
• This approach aids in the quality evaluation of monk fruit products.