Anthocyanin-Based Natural Colorants:  A New Source of Antiradical Activity for Foodstuff

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2000-05, Vol.48 (5), p.1588-1592
• Main Authors: Espín, Juan Carlos, Soler-Rivas, Cristina, Wichers, Harry J, García-Viguera, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agrotechnological Research Institute; Anthocyanins - chemistry; ANTIOXIDANTES; ANTIOXIDANTS; ANTIOXYDANT; Biological and medical sciences; EXTRACTOS; EXTRACTS; EXTRAIT; Food additives; Food Additives - chemistry; Food industries; FOOD INDUSTRY; Free Radical Scavengers - chemistry; Fruit and vegetable industries; FRUIT JUICES; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; INDUSTRIA ALIMENTARIA; INDUSTRIE ALIMENTAIRE; Instituut voor Agrotechnologisch Onderzoek; JUGO DE FRUTAS; JUS DE FRUITS; MAN; NUTRITION; Pigments, Biological - chemistry; VITAMIN E; VITAMINA E; VITAMINE E
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf9911390

The antiradical capacity (radical scavenger capacity, RSC) of anthocyanin-based fruit extracts prepared in the laboratory (black chokeberry, black-thorn, and strawberry) was studied by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•). To determine their RSC, the second-order rate constant (k 2) for the oxidation of these extracts by DPPH• was calculated. The value of k 2 was compared to that used in the food industry as natural (α-tocopherol) or synthetic (butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)) antioxidants, as well as for a commercial elderberry concentrate and a synthetic colorant (Ponceau 4R). The k 2 values ((mg/mL)-1 s-1), in methanol at 25 °C, were 1.87, 0.7, 0.42, 0.2, 0.05, 0.03, and 0.008 for α-tocopherol, black chokeberry, BHA, black-thorn, BHT, strawberry, and elderberry, respectively. Ponceau 4R lacked RSC. Therefore, these natural colorants proved to be a combined source of color and RSC for food material. Keywords: Anthocyanins; colorants; radical scavenger; DPPH; kinetics