The aim of the present work was to determine the commercial quality of roselle samples of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. from Sudan, China and México (Guerrero), as well as the antioxidant activity of the beverage prepared with them, in order to find out if there exists any differences among samples that could help to give a special place in the national market to the mexican Hibiscus sabdariffa L roselles. The variables evaluated include color of the roselles and their extracts, pH, acidity, and anthocyanin profiles. The beverages prepared with the roselles from China and México showed a deep-red color, while that from Sudan was brown-redness. The mexican roselles had the highest acidity and the lowest pH values, although China roselles presented the highest anthocyanin contents. The anthocyanin profiles obtained by HPLC of the roselles from the three countries were the same. According to the quality parameters evaluated, the roselles from México and China have better quality than that from Sudan. The roselle extracts from México had the highest antioxidant activity; this means that they possessed better nutraceutical properties than the extracts from China and Sudan, characteristic that could be useful to give an added value to mexican Hibiscus sabdariffa L. roselles.

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