Flavanol Monomers Characterization from Diverse Plants

Flavanol monomers (catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Denmark). Plant samples were chosen in order to provide a wide variety of CT structural characteristics and were obtained as follows: cocoa beans were purchased from ‘Detox your World’ company (Great Yarmouth, UK), hazelnut skins were provided by Dr H. Hoste (INRA Toulouse, France), pine bark (Pinus sylvestris) was provided by Dr M. Karonen (University of Turku, Finland), whole sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia, var. Esparsette) plants were provided by Mr P. Davy (Barham, Kent, UK), leaves from blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) and redcurrant (Ribes rubrum) bushes were collected from Hildred’s Pick-Your-Own Farm (Goring-upon-Thames, UK), and white clover (Trifolium repens) flowers from NIAB (Cambridge, UK).