HPLC and MEKC determination of major flavonoids in selected food pools

The main flavone and flavonol glycosides were identified in four different food pools (soup, legumes/vegetables, salads, fruit) typical of the mediterranean diet. The analysis was performed by RP-HPLC or micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) coupled with diode array detection. For the quantitative evaluation the glycosidic fraction of each pool was hydrolyzed under controlled conditions and among the resulting aglycones quercetin and apigenin were detected as the most relevant. The mean content of these aglycones in the examined pools ranges from 12 to 43 mg/kg and from 3 to 15 mg/kg of dried sample for quercetin and apigenin, respectively.