Identification and quantification of flavonols, anthocyanins and lutein diesters in tepals of Crocus sativus by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array and ion trap mass spectrometry detections a b s t r a c t Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection (UPLC DAD) and ion trap mass spectrometry with either electrospray ionization (ESI-MS n) or atmospheric pressure chemical ion-ization (APCI-MS n) interface were used to investigate flavonols, anthocyanins and lutein diesters in tepals from Crocus sativus. Extraction by methanol/water (1:1, v/v) containing 1% hydrochloric acid was selected as the optimal solvent mixture for a quantitative extraction of flavonols and anthocyanins. A UPLC method for separation of nineteen flavonols: kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin glycosides as mono-, di-or tri-glycosides and five anthocyanins reported as delphinidin, petunidin and malvidin gly-cosides was achieved. Kaempferol glycosides were the major flavonols (84.0% of total flavonol content) in C. sativus tepals, the main compound was kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside. Isorhamnetin 3-O-sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and quercetin 3-O-glucoside 7-O-rhamnoside in C. sativus tepals were newly identified. Anthocyanins were quantified for the first time in C. sativus tepals (4804 ± 233 ␮g g −1 DW), the main anthocyanin identified was delphinidin 3,7-O-diglucoside. For the first time, (E) and (Z) isomers of lutein diesters with lauric, myristic, palmitic and stearic acids were found in C. sativus and characterized by UPLC DAD/APCI-MS. A gradient programme consisting of methanol/water (8:1, v/v) and ethyl acetate was developed for their qualitative and quantitative analyses. Lutein diesters' content (21.46 ± 0.98 mg 100 g −1 DW) in tepals from C. sativus was comparable to food products, lutein diesters represented 69% of the total lutein diesters' content.