High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of amino acids in ackee fruit with emphasis on the toxic amino acid hypoglycin A

J Chromatogr Sci. 2002 Sep;40(8):441-6. doi: 10.1093/chromsci/40.8.441.

Abstract

High-performance liquid chromatography is used to determine the amino acid content of ripe and unripe ackee fruit. Specific emphasis is placed on the level of the toxic amino acid hypoglycin A (hyp-A) in the unripe and ripe ackee fruit and seed. Unripe samples are found to contain significantly higher quantities (P < 0.05) of hyp-A when compared with ripe samples. Uncooked unripe fruit is found to contain 124.4 +/- 6.7 mg/100 g fresh weight and uncooked ripe fruit 6.4 +/- 1.1 mg/100 g fresh weight. The seed of the uncooked unripe fruit is found to contain 142.8 +/- 8.8 mg/100 g fresh weight, and the seed of uncooked ripe fruit has 106.0 +/- 5.4 mg/100 g fresh weight. Boiling fruit in water for approximately 30 min is efficient in removing hyp-A from the edible arilli; however, low levels of 0.54 +/- 0.15 mg/200 mL are detected in the water that was used to cook the ripe fruit. The average %recovery of the amino acids was 80.34%.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / analysis*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Cooking
  • Hypoglycins / analysis*
  • Plants, Edible / chemistry*
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Hypoglycins
  • hypoglycin