Lipophilization and MS characterization of the main anthocyanins purified from hibiscus flowers

- First lipophilization of hibiscus anthocyanins containing a sambubioside unit.
- Anthocyanin absmax is apparently affected by number and position of esterifications.
- Lipophilic food colorants could be obtained by lipophilization.

Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers represent an interesting source of anthocyanins, one of the most important plant pigments, which are responsible of the intense red color of the calyces, and have potential as natural colorants for food applications. Nevertheless, anthocyanins are highly hydrosoluble and unstable compounds. On this basis, the aim of this work was to increase the lipophilicity of the hibiscus anthocyanins by lipophilization, in order to obtain amphiphilic colorants, which could be easily incorporated in lipid-rich food matrices. Octanoyl derivatives of delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside were chemically obtained for the first time, and characterized by means of HPLC-ESI-MS data.