Separation and Characterization of Soluble Esterified and Glycoside-Bound Phenolic Compounds in Dry-Blanched Peanut Skins by Liquid Chromatography–Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

A large variety of soluble phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acids, ethyl protocatechuate, and hydroxycinnamic acids, as well as phenylacetic acid and phenyllactic acid), stilbenes (trans-piceatannol and trans-3,3′,5,5′-tetrahydroxy-4′-methoxystilbene), flavan-3-ols (e.g., (−)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, (−)-epiafzelechin, and their polymers (the proanthocyanidins, PACs)), other flavonoids (e.g., isoflavones, flavanols, and flavones), and biflavonoids, were released from esters and glycosides by base/acid hydrolysis and identified in acetonic extracts of dry-blanched peanut skins (PS). Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) was applied to separate and identify the phenolic constituents. Tentative identification of the separated phenolics was based on molecular ions and MSn fragmentation patterns acquired by ESI-MS in the negative-ion mode. Identification of free phenolic acids, stilbenes, and flavonoids was also achieved by commercial standards and by published literature data. Quantification was performed on the basis of peak areas of the UV signals from the HPLC chromatograms and calibration curves of the commercial standards. The flavonoids of PS exist mostly in glycoside-bound forms, but the aglycones can be liberated upon acid hydrolysis. PS contain significantly more PACs compared to free phenolic compounds: PAC monomers to tetramers constituted 92.0% of esterified phenolic compounds. The PAC monomer ((+)-catechin) and dimers are the main phenolics released from glycosides and account for 31.7 and 59.1%, respectively, of the total glycoside-bound phenolic compounds.