High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for standardization and quantitative analysis of naringin in interspecific citrus hybrids

Abstract

Naringin is a prominent flavonoid found in various citrus fruits, widely recognized for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, which contribute to its potential health benefits. This study aimed to develop and validate an HPLC-PDA method for quantifying naringin in juice from interspecific citrus hybrids, while also assessing the sensory attributes of the juice. Two reversed-phase high-performance chromatographic methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of naringin in the juice, utilizing both isocratic and gradient elution on a C18 column. The method was validated for naringin quantification, demonstrating a wide linear range, high accuracy and precision, low detection and quantification limits, and overall robustness. Consumer tests revealed significant variation in naringin content (0.1–44 mg/L) and sensory attributes (3–9 points on a hedonic scale) across the hybrids and parent varieties. Descriptive flavour analysis, conducted by a trained sensory panel, indicated that the six hybrids had good sensory quality along with optimal naringin levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) differentiated naringin content and sensory attributes, and a heatmap with hierarchical data analysis suggested that over 90 % heritability was observed for both traits.