Analysis of Phenolic Compounds Extracted from Peanut Seed Testa

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) contain numerous phenolic compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. These secondary metabolites may be isolated as co-products from peanut skins or testae during peanut processing and have potential use in functional food or feed formulations. Peanut skins were extracted in ethanol and analyzed by mass spectrometry to identify major phenolic compounds. Extracts were analyzed by LC-MS (Accela-MSQ,ThermoFisher Scientific,Waltham, Massachusetts, USA). Separations were performed using a PFP column in reverse phase. The MS detector was scanned from 50 – 500 m/z in negative mode (ESI). Additional analysis of extracts was performed by GC-TOF (Leco Corp., St. Joseph, Michigan, USA). Spectral data collected by both instruments were used to obtain a profile of the phenolic compounds that included catechin, epicatechin, and several anthocyanidins. These results are expected to promote the use of phenolics obtained from inexpensive agricultural sources.