Abstract
By-products resulting from grape processing currently represent an environmental issue, their recovery and reintroduction in the food industry is one of the main goals of sustainable agriculture. Anthocyanin content and composition of grapes and their fresh and dry pomace (after processing) of three Vitis vinifera L. wine cultivars growing in Iasi vineyard, NE of Romania, was evaluated in order to identify new sustainable sources of vegetal pigments. HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS anthocyanin profile was unique and included five monoglucosyl forms and four acylated forms of anthocyanins, with malvidin-3-glucoside as main representative. Other acylated forms were also present in the profile as traces. Grape processing and pomace drying resulted in a decrease of total pigment content, mainly for esterified anthocyanins (acetylated and coumaroylated). After grape pressing, fresh pomace of Merlot grapes retained the highest percentage of anthocyanins comparing with raw material (45%). Important quantities of anthocyanins justifies the extraction of these phenolic compounds from the considered material and demonstrate that grape pomace, both in fresh and dry state, is a valuable and accessible source of pigment.