Reverse-phase HPLC analysis of Vitamin C in two different varieties of pineapple found in Manipur, India

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient and important water-soluble antioxidant that plays a vital role in combating reactive oxygen species and maintaining human health. Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. is a tropical fruit which is famous for its nutritional, antioxidant content and therapeutic properties. Manipur in India is well known for the cultivation of two different cultivars of pineapple namely Queen and Kew which differ in fruit size, sweetness, texture and fruit quality. Depending on the cultivar of pineapple, growing conditions, maturity level, location and environmental factors, and post-harvest condition, vitamin C content in pineapple may vary. The study focuses on the determination and evaluation of vitamin C content in Queen and Kew varieties of pineapple grown in Manipur. The quantification of Vitamin C was done by reverse-phase HPLC method. The analyses show that the two cultivars have variations in vitamin C concentration. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) acts as a potential antioxidant and protects human cells from reactive oxygen species. Moreover, evaluating vitamin C content in different cultivars of pineapple can give insightful information about the fruit quality, nutritional improvement and selection of high quality cultivars. Quantification of vitamin C content in Queen and Kew varieties of pineapple by Reverse-phase HPLC method showed that ripe pineapple contains higher vitamin C levels (ranging from 141.7 to 143.2 PPM) than unripe pineapple (131.3 to 135.5 PPM). Among the two different varieties of pineapple, the core part of ripe Kew variety showed the highest vitamin C content.