Anthocyanins are a major source of natural red colorants but currently face difficulties matching the hue range, stability, and affordability of synthetic options. Purple corn offers an FDA and EFSA-approved economical source of anthocyanin-based colorants. A C-glycosyl flavone and anthocyanin copigmentation system consisting of a flavone-rich anthocyanin-poor line and two anthocyanin-rich flavone-poor lines containing either pelargonidin or cyanidin-derived anthocyanins is described. This system offers a broad hue range and can improve stability. Cyanidin-rich model beverages had better stability than pelargonidin-rich beverages over time, but the addition of flavone-rich extract to both resulted in significantly longer half-lives (up to 50% longer). Flavone copigments produced hyperchromic and bathochromic shifts in both. A protective effect from flavone copigmentation was observed for glycosides. In contrast acylated forms displayed significantly shorter half-lives. Results suggest that corn C-glycosyl flavone-rich extracts could serve as a color enhancing and stabilizing agent for anthocyanin colorants.
Keywords: Anthocyanin; Color; Copigmentation; Cyanidin 3-glucoside (PubChem CID: 197081); Cyanidin-3-(6-Malonylglucoside) (PubChem CID: 44256740); Flavone; Natural colorants; Pelargonidin 3-glucoside (PubChem CID: 443648); Pelargonidin-3-(6-Malonylglucoside) (PubChem CID: 44256635); Purple corn; Stability.
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