Multiresidue analysis of pesticides in four different pomegranate cultivars: Investigating matrix effect variability by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS

Matrix effect (ME) is unavoidable in multiresidue pesticide analysis, even when using highly advanced instruments, and differences in MEs can affect residue analytical accuracy due to pomegranate cultivar composition variations. However, literature to support this claim is limited.The study used GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS to investigate four different Indian pomegranate cultivar extracts and their MEs on multi-class pesticides.The whole fruit and arils of all cultivarswere tested for 22 GC-amenable and 21 LC-amenable pesticides. Principal component analysis of the data confirmed that each cultivar had unique MEs for each pesticide.The majority of pesticides showed acute variations in recovery rates with 95% confidence, while GC-MS/MS-amenablepesticides showed more variation. Although extrapolative dilution reduced the influence of MEs on analytical accuracy, a generalized matrix-matching for all cultivars was not possible to achieve.To reduce the variability in MEs, it is recommended that a cultivar-specific matrix-matched standard should be used.

Investigation of Iranian pomegranate cultivars for wound healing components

One of the most important issues which medical science has been facing is wound healing for the tissue repair with the least complications. In this study, we aimed to isolate, purify and quantitate tannins and phenolic compounds from exocarp and pulp of fruits of Iranian pomegranate cultivars. Our findings demonstrate that the highest amount of tannin extracts from ethanol extract of the black peel exocarp was 201.76 ± 1.93. The highest amount of flavonoids from the ethanol extract of Sweet Alac exocarp was119.69 ± 1.02 as well as antioxidant compounds activity in the exocarp and pulp showed that the highest activity is in the ethanol extract of the black peel was 95.65 ± 3.1. The total phenolic activity indicated that the Sour white peel ethanol extract has the highest phenolic activity 327.05 ± 863. Our data suggest that the ethanol extract of pomegranate exocarp has the higher amounts of tannins and flavonoids, compounds that are known to be beneficial for wound healing. Taken together, these data suggest that compounds isolated from Iranian pomegranate cultivars offer new options for managements of wound healing.

Evaluation of unexplored pomegranate cultivars for physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity

The aim of present study was to evaluate the different pomegranate cultivars for physicochemical properties and to identify the best cultivars suitable for food processing and future breeding. Various attributes of fruit (including length, weight and diameter), rind (thickness and weight), calyx (length), aril (weight, percentage, length and width), seed (length and width) and juice (titratable acidity and soluble solids or TSS) were evaluated. Total and reducing sugar, pH, ascorbic acid, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and maturity index were also evaluated. A significant difference in all tested parameters was noted amongst the tested cultivars except calyx length, rind thickness, arils and seed dimensions. The antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents of pomegranate cultivars were ranged from 15.77 to 42% and 1158.9 to 1540.7 mg GAE L^-1. The cultivars Tor-390 and Sorkhak-859 were sweet in taste, while the rest of the cultivars have sweet sour taste. The study concluded that the majority of cultivars were rich source of total phenolics, ascorbic acid, total soluble solid and total sugars, which are beneficial to health. Some of the elite cultivars (NKP-561, SRK-296, SZR-385, SRK-878) showed high quality attributes and were suitable for future breeding programs.