Abstract
The composition of pigments in two different colored okra cultivars was studied. The carotenoids were separated by column, thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography and identified by order of absorption affinities on the column and by their absorption spectra. The contents and kinds of pigments were as follows: (1) The green colored okra cultivar' Better five' contained chlorophyll a (470μg/g) and chlorophyll b (190μg/g) as the major pigment; a small amount of α-carotene (0.2μg/g), β-carotene (11.4μg/g) and xanthophylls (43.2μg/g) were also present. (2) The reddish purple colored okra cultivar' Benney' contained chlorophyll a (120μg/g) and chlorophyll b (60μg/g) as the major pigment: a small amount of α-carotene (tr.), β-carotene (4.2μg/g) and xanthophylls (27.6μg/g) were present, and anthocyanins were detected. (3) From the above results, it was found that the 'Better five' of high chlor phyll contents paralleled with high carotenoid contents and the 'Benney' of low chlorophyll contents paralleled with low carotenoid contents. (4) Xanthophylls were consisted neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein epoxide and lutein.
