Quantification of ascorbic acid in the neglected vegetable Smyrnium olusatrum L. (Apiaceae) by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Smyrnium olusatrum L., belonging to the family of Apiaceae, known in Italian as ‘‘Macerone’’, ‘‘Corinoli’’ or ‘‘Sedano selvatico’’, in English as ‘‘Alexanders’’ and ‘‘wild Celery’’, is a stout, glabrous, celery-scented biennial herb used for many centuries as a vegetable, then abandoned after the introduction of celery. Given its use as a popular antiscorbutic remedy, we decided to investigate the content of ascorbic acid in the different plant parts by developing a HPLC-MS method. Results revealed that wild celery may be considered as a worthy source of ascorbic acid with levels comparable to those of other vegetables commercially available.