Phenolic Authenticity of Commercially Marketed “Natural” Pomegranate Juices: A Comparative Analysis with Fresh Juice

Abstract

This study critically evaluated whether commercially available pomegranate juices marketed as “natural” reflect the phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of freshly prepared pomegranate juice. A fresh aril-based juice prepared under controlled laboratory conditions (control sample, D) was compared with seven commercially available products (N₁–N₇) obtained from the Şanlıurfa local market. Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and individual phenolic compound profiles were determined to assess phenolic authenticity and processing-related differences.The TPC of the samples ranged from 674.69 ± 6.00 to 2531.49 ± 3.85 mg GAE/L, while DPPH radical-scavenging activity varied between 56.71 ± 1.19 and 236.05 ± 1.98 µmol TE/L. Commercial samples, particularly N₁ and N₇, exhibited significantly higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than the fresh control sample (p < 0.05). HPLC analysis identified fourteen individual phenolic compounds, with vanillic acid, catechin, syringic acid, gallic acid, myricetin, and chlorogenic acid as the dominant constituents. Vanillic acid was the most abundant compound in all samples, reaching the highest concentration in sample N₆ (2324.74 ± 0.25 mg/L). Although commercial juices generally exhibited greater phenolic richness, structurally complex phenolic compounds such as silymarin were detected exclusively in the fresh aril-based juice. These findings indicate that phenolic richness and phenolic diversity do not necessarily coincide in products marketed as “natural” and highlight discrepancies between commercial label claims and actual phenolic composition.

Keywords

• pomegranate juice
• natural label claim;
• phenolic authenticity;
• antioxidant activity

Supporting Institution

This research received no external funding.

Ethical Statement

ethical approval was not required.

Thanks

I gratefully acknowledge the Harran University Center for Science and Technology Application and Research (HÜBTAM) for providing the laboratory infrastructure and technical assistance throughout the analytical pro¬cedures of this study.

Ticari Olarak Pazarlanan “Doğal” Nar Sularının Fenolik Özgünlüğü: Taze Nar Suyu ile Karşılaştırmalı Bir Analiz

Abstract

Bu çalışma, “doğal” olarak pazarlanan ticari nar sularının, taze hazırlanmış nar suyunun fenolik bileşimi ve antioksidan özelliklerini ne ölçüde yansıttığını eleştirel olarak değerlendirmiştir. Kontrollü laboratuvar koşullarında aril (tane) bazlı olarak hazırlanan taze nar suyu (kontrol örneği, D), Şanlıurfa yerel pazarından temin edilen yedi adet ticari nar suyu ürünü (N₁–N₇) ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Fenolik özgünlüğü ve işleme kaynaklı farklılıkları değerlendirmek amacıyla toplam fenolik madde içeriği (TFM), antioksidan aktivite ve bireysel fenolik bileşik profilleri belirlenmiştir. Örneklerin toplam fenolik madde içeriği 674.69 ± 6.00 ile 2531.49 ± 3.85 mg GAE/L arasında değişirken, DPPH serbest radikal süpürme aktivitesi 56.71 ± 1.19 ile 236.05 ± 1.98 µmol TE/L aralığında bulunmuştur. Ticari örnekler, özellikle N₁ ve N₇, taze kontrol örneğine kıyasla anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek fenolik içerik ve antioksidan aktivite göstermiştir (p < 0.05). HPLC analizleri sonucunda toplam on dört bireysel fenolik bileşik tanımlanmış; vanilik asit, kateşin, siringik asit, gallik asit, mirisetin ve klorojenik asit baskın bileşenler olarak belirlenmiştir. Vanilik asit tüm örneklerde en bol bulunan fenolik bileşik olup, en yüksek konsantrasyon N₆ örneğinde saptanmıştır (2324.74 ± 0.25 mg/L). Ticari nar suları genel olarak daha yüksek fenolik zenginlik sergilemekle birlikte, silymarin gibi yapısal olarak kompleks fenolik bileşikler yalnızca taze aril bazlı nar suyunda tespit edilmiştir. Bu bulgular, “doğal” olarak pazarlanan ürünlerde fenolik bolluk ile fenolik çeşitliliğin her zaman örtüşmediğini ve ticari etiket iddiaları ile gerçek fenolik bileşim arasında farklılıklar bulunduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• nar suyu
• doğal etiket iddiası;
• fenolik özgünlük
• antioksidan aktivite

Supporting Institution

YOK

Ethical Statement

YOK

Thanks

Bu çalışmanın analiz süreçleri boyunca laboratuvar altyapısı ve teknik destek sağlamasından dolayı Harran Üniversitesi Bilim ve Teknoloji Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi’ne (HÜBTAM) teşekkür ederim.

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