Abstract
Sugarcane extract (Saccharum officinarum extract: SOE), a byproduct containing polyphenols obtained through the process of making raw sugar from sugarcane, exhibited an effect on the discoloration of salmon that suggests SOE inhibits lipid oxidation, which inhibits discoloration of carotenoid as a result. Therefore, we considered an in vitro evaluation method for inhibiting discoloration of carotenoid, and used this method to measure SOE's inhibitive effect on carotenoid discoloration. The results showed that the methylene chloride soluble portion (low-polarity fraction) had the strongest inhibitive effect. We then refined and isolated the components of the methylene chloride-soluble portion to obtain 13 known components and one new compound. Structural analysis revealed that the new compound is 3-[2-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-4,6-dimethoxyphenyl]-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanone, which is a glycoside of retrodihydrochalcone. The results suggest that, combined with the content and antioxidant effect of the isolated compounds, simulanol, a lignan, contributes most to inhibiting carotenoid discoloration through the methylene chloride-soluble portion in SOE.
