The Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Anthocyanins from Blueberry

Bo Chu Wang*, Rui He and Zhi Min Li

Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, PR China

Article history:
Received January 12, 2009
Accepted October 28, 2009

Key words:
highbush blueberry, anthocyanins, stability, antioxidant activity

Summary:
Anthocyanins from highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) have tremendous potential as natural colorants and functional food with pharmaceutical purposes in food applications. To exploit the potential for food applications, the stability and antioxidant activity of anthocyanins present in blueberries have been studied. The results indicate that anthocyanins from blueberry were stable against the low pH (≤5.0), NaCl (0.125–0.500 mol/L), sucrose (0.584–2.336 mol/L) and preservative (sodium benzoate, 0.035–0.140 mol/L), but were sensitive to alkaline conditions (≥7.0), high temperature (≥80 °C), light (natural light), oxidizing agent (H₂O₂, 0.5–2.0 %) and reducing agent (Na₂SO₃, 0.005–0.040 mol/L). At concentrations of 25 and 50 μg/mL, anthocyanins from blueberry could protect ECV-304 cells against oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂. These results suggest that anthocyanins from blueberry can be regarded as a potential colorant for some acidic (pH≤5.0) food products and could be used as health food to prevent diseases arising from oxidative processes.

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