Assessment of the melatonin production in pomegranate wines

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a neurohormone related to a broad array of physiological functions and proven therapeutic properties. Some foods also contain melatonin and their consumption has been considered as an exogenous source, able to increase melatonin circulating levels. In the present work, two well-known pomegranate cultivars, Wonderful and Mollar de Elche, as well as a Coupage of both varieties were assayed for wine elaboration. Melatonin was observed to be absent in pomegranates juices although it was detected for the first time in prominent amounts with respect to other food matrixes (0.54-5.50. ng/mL) for all the varietal wines. Thus, the occurrence of this biogenic amine points out these fruit wines as an interesting way for bioactive phytochemicals supplementation. Moreover, the influence of cultivar and winemaking process on the melatonin content of the finished product has been studied. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.