A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) material was prepared using quercetin as the imprinted molecule, methacrylic acid as functional monomer and macroporous chitosan beads as functional matrix. The obtained molecularly imprinted polymer materials were evaluated by liquid chromatograph using acetonitrile-methanol as mobile phase, with respect to their selective recognition properties for quercetin. The MIP exhibited a higher selectivity for quercetin in a mixture of flavonoids than the non-imprinted polymer (NIP). The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were also applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.