HPLC determination of major pigments in the bean Phaseolus vulgaris

Major pigments in Phaseolus vulgaris L. beans were determined by high-performance chromatography (HPLC) on a C18 reversed-phase column. Three classes of pigment were identified; in order of chromatographic elution, these were xanthophylls, chlorophylls, and carotenes. The most abundant xanthophyll was lutein; other xanthophylls were detected in very small quantities. Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were both detected, but chlorophyll derivatives were either not present or, in a few samples, present in trace quantities. The only carotene detected was beta-carotene. Evaluation of the method used indicated high sensitivity and precision