Chemical composition, anthocyanins, non-anthocyanin phenolics and antioxidant activity of wild bilberry (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz) from Colombia

Berries of Vaccinium meridionale Swartz native to Colombia were analysed for chemical composition, total phenolic content, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC–DAD) and HPLC-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI–MS/MS) were used to determine anthocyanin and phenolic composition. Anthocyanin content was 329.0±28.0mg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100g (fresh weight) FW and total phenolic content was 758.6±62.3mg gallic acid equivalent/100gFW. Cyanidin 3-galactoside was the major anthocyanin while the most abundant non-anthocyanin phenolic was chlorogenic acid.