Gas chromatography and high–pressure liquid chromatography determination of resveratrol in italian red wines

Resveratrol (trans–3, 5, 4'–trihydroxystilbene) is a phenolic compound naturally produced by different plants, including grapes. Its presence is quite common in red wines, while very much lower concentrations can be found in white wines. Until some years ago, this compound was principally studied for its role in protection against plant diseases. More recently, it has been considered from a nutritional point of view, in that, for moderate consumption of wine, it shows some interesting protective actions against heart diseases. The aim of this research was to determine the concentration of resveratrol in red wines produced in Marche (a central region of Italy) by means of two different analytical techniques, gas chromatography (GC) and high–pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The wines came from different vineyards harvested in various vintages. The results obtained are in good agreement with those reported elsewhere in the literature; under our experimental conditions, higher results were obtained by GC than by HPLC analysis. The resveratrol content of the wines ranged from 0.64 to 3.00 mg l –1 by GC and from 0.30 to 2.89 mg l –1 ’ by HPLC. Moreover, the GC analysis enabled us to separate thecis andtrans forms of resveratrol, but with longer sample preparation than required in HPLC analysis. © 1996, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.