Influence of copigmentation on the stability of spray dried anthocyanins from blackberry

- Copigments prevented degradation during spray drying of blackberry anthocyanins.
- Color change was less pronounced when copigments were present.
- Copigments enhanced shelf-life of obtained powders by up to one half.

Anthocyanins or anthocyanin rich extracts from several fruits are frequently applied as food colorants. One major drawback of these natural pigments is their poor stability and the rapid loss of coloring properties. Spray drying of anthocyanin extracts is a suitable approach for encapsulating and stabilizing them. In this study the effects of added copigments (rutin and ferulic acid) on the storage stability of spray-dried anthocyanins from blackberry were investigated. Degradation of anthocyanins during storage under light and different temperatures showed first order kinetics. Light had a higher impact on anthocyanin stability than elevated temperatures. The addition of copigments led to significantly lower anthocyanin losses compared to samples without copigments and to increased half-life values of the obtained powders. This stabilizing effect may be attributed to the antioxidative properties of the copigments and the prevention of the hydration of the anthocyanins. The observed color changes did not correlate with the anthocyanin loss. Degradation of anthocyanin might led to the formation of colored derivatives and polymers during storage.