Extraction Solvents Affect Anthocyanin Yield, Color, and Profile of Strawberries

Abstract

Anthocyanins are a major group of plant pigments that have antioxidant activities. Pigments play a major role in human health and have attracted a lot of attention globally. Many factors affect anthocyanin yields, such as solvent type, incubation time, solvent-to-sample ratio, sample type, and temperature. The first parameter was tested, and the rest were considered constant in this experiment. A total of nine organic and water-based solvents (methanol and chloroform: methanol, acetone, ethanol, water) and their combinations were compared to extract anthocyanins from freshly-pureed strawberries. Solvents changed anthocyanin yield, color parameters, and profile. The color parameters of a* values lower than 30, L* values higher than 85, hue angle more than 40, and chroma less than 30 indicated some color degradation in strawberry anthocyanins. Therefore, the best solvents for anthocyanin assessment were methanol and methanol: water. The second-best solvent was the pH differential buffers. Other solvents such as ethanol, chloroform: methanol, water, and water-based solvents extracted considerable amounts of anthocyanins; however, they showed some degree of color degradation, evidenced by the color parameters. Acetone did not yield a stable extract which degraded over 48 h of storage at 4 °C. The extraction solvent determined the main anthocyanin of the anthocyanins profile. Pelargonidin was the major anthocyanin in chloroform: methanol solvent, while delphinidin was dominant in all other solvents.

Scrutinizing the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potency of European Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus L.) Extracts

“…However, the TAC content in fresh V. opulus fruit was found to be three times higher, as reported by Česonien ė et al [23]. The fluctuations in the TAC content observed in the present study and those reported by other researchers can be explained by the relative susceptibility of these compounds to degradation under a pH higher than 7 and by differences found in the extraction solvents applied [75,76]. Interestingly, Demirdöven et al [77] reported a similar TAC content observed in red cabbage extracts (Brassica oleracea L.), which was approached through optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction utilizing 42% ethanol as a sole solvent.…”

Pre-Treatment, Extraction Solvent, and Color Stability of Anthocyanins from Purple Sweetpotato

“…Microwave- and ultrasonic-assisted extraction methods significantly improve phytochemical extraction efficiency, but the choice of solvents determines the quality of the extracts [ 21 , 31 , 32 ]. Acidified methanol is commonly used in the laboratory [ 5 , 32 ], and showed the highest yields of PSPA with high stability in our study, but it is inedible. Although acidified ethanol can be consumed, it displayed low extraction efficiency and quickly degraded PSPA within it.…”