Effect of Various Carbohydrates in Aqueous Solutions on Color Stability and Degradation Kinetics of Selected Anthocyanins During Storage

Anthocyanins are flavonoid substances of plant origin with potential antioxidant effects. Because of their intense colors, they are used as natural dyes in food. However, their stability in food matrices is limited. This study aimed to verify the effect of selected carbohydrates on the stability of anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-beta-glucopyranoside, cyanidin-3-O-beta-galactopyranoside, cyanidin-3-O-beta-rutinoside and delphinidin-3-O-beta-rutinoside) during the accelerated storage test, since carbohydrates help to preserve the typical color of anthocyanins, increase their shelf-life and availability in the organism, and reduce losses during processing. Moreover, the kinetic parameters of anthocyanin degradation (Ea, k, t1/2) were determined. Sucrose was found to have the greatest potential for retarding anthocyanin degradation during storage, whereas fructose exerted an accelerating effect. Glycosidation of anthocyanin aglycone had no significant effect in terms of their stability. Anthocyanin degradation was significantly positively correlated with the change in the a* parameter (redness), and subsequently, a significant positive correlation was observed in the determination of the kinetic parameters for anthocyanins and the a* parameter. The highest stability of anthocyanins was observed in the presence of sucrose and their degradation can be predicted by the value of the a* parameter, which would also be a very fast and non-destructive method for food processing companies.