ARS | Publication request: Plant phenolics

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 20, 2011
Publication Date: August 28, 2011
Citation: Lee, J. 2011. Plant phenolics – from field to fork. American Chemical Society 242nd National Meeting. Denver, CO. AGFD 4.

Technical Abstract: Plant secondary metabolites, such as phenolics, are important to human health and for the organoleptic properties they impart to fresh and processed foods. Consumers judge appearance, taste, and texture when making purchasing decisions. Thorough identification of phenolic compounds is key to discerning how cultivar selection, breeding strategies, environment, post-harvest conditions, and processing methods ultimately influence food quality. Highlights on elucidation and quantification of phenolics in grapes, berries, and culinary and medicinal herbs will be presented; these results can improve production and processing. Discussion will include how (1) canopy, cover crop, and nutrient management alter metabolites in wine grapes; (2) winemaking conditions influence wine structure; (3) characterizing cultivar variability in polyphenolics aids enhanced germplasm selection in berries; and (4) fruit processing methods alter efficiency of phenolic extraction in berry products. The importance of method selection and sample preparation to accuracy and reproducibility in phenolic analyses will also be presented.