Anthocyanin Content and Profiles of Strawberry Fruit from North Carolina Genotypes

Anthocyanins impart the pink to orange-red to deep red color found in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) fruit. In this study, the anthocyanin content and profile of advanced North Carolina selections were compared to those of white to moderately-red fruited commercial cultivars. Pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside (P3G), pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside (P3R), pelargonidin-3-O-(6”-malonylglucoside) (P3MG), and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) were identified in strawberry fruit juice using high-performance liquid chromatography and the sum of these values represented total anthocyanin content (TAC). The dominant pigment, P3G, ranged from 0.2 to 69.2 mg/100g in white and red fruit, respectively, and values represented 60 to 89% of TAC. Across genotypes, the anthocyanins P3R and C3G represented 4 to 16% and 1 to 17%, respectively, of TAC. Generally regarded as a minor pigment, P3MG contributed 9–18% TAC in nine North Carolina genotypes and 9-10% TAC in cultivars ‘Sweet Charlie’ and ‘Ruby June’. Overall, North Carolina genotypes had anthocyanin content and profiles similar to the commercial cultivars ‘Camarosa’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Sweet Charlie’, ‘Felicity’, ‘Medallion’, and ‘Ruby June'. Visual strawberry fruit color appears to be related more to the total amount of anthocyanin than to specific anthocyanin profiles.