Elaboration of a Purple Corn Drink with Maximum Retention of Anthocyanins

Abstract

In the present work, the anthocyanin extraction process was characterized during the elaboration of a purple corn drink, using the response surface analysis method with temperature intervals between 47.57 and 132.43°C, and times from 11, 36 at 138.64 minutes. In addition, with the stationary point technique, the maximum retention of anthocyanin (33.99 mg/g) was determined at a temperature of 98.39°C at a time of 105.89 minutes of extraction. Since this time is too long and to reduce production costs, without resorting to considerable losses of anthocyanins, canonical analysis was used, redefining the optimal extraction parameters at a temperature of 100°C for 60 minutes with a reduction of the anthocyanin content of 2.49% (33.14 mg/g) concerning the maximum, a value that is within the optimum area of performance of the process. With the extract obtained under optimal conditions, a drink was prepared and, using the differential pH method and Student’s t-test (p = 0.05), its anthocyanin content was quantified and compared with that of a commercial drink with typical characteristics. Similar, observing that the elaborated drink presents higher contents, whose difference varies within the range of 2.79 and 4.72 mg/mL. Finally, using a satisfaction test with a nine-point hedonic scale, it was determined that the beverage was “very well liked” by a semi-trained sensory panel.