Anthocyanins antioxidant properties

Stintzing, F. et al., Color and antioxidant properties of cyanidin-based anthocyanin pigments, J. Agric. Food Chem., 50, 6172, 2002. 

Fruifs and vegetables also contain ofher bioactive substances such as polyphenols (including well-known pigments anthocyanins, flavonols) and non-provitamin A carotenoids (mainly lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) that may have protective effects on chronic diseases. Polyphenols and carotenoids are known to display antioxidant activities, counteracting oxidative alterations in cells. Besides these antioxidant properties, these colored bioactive substances may exert other actions on cell signaling and gene expression. 

Zakharova and co-workers studied a red variety in 1997 to gain a closer insight into its polyphenol oxidase activity. More recently, a study addressing the antioxidant properties of a red colored Swiss chard was published. However, the pigments were erroneously addressed as anthocyanins. 

The food technologist may be especially interested in the fate of the carotenoids in the seed oil. Like red palm oil, the resulting carotenoid-pigmented canola oil may be more stable due to the antioxidant properties of carotenoids and may be more attractive to consumers. Alternatively, for food security concerns, transgenic soybean or canola oils and seed meals that are genetically modified for more efficient bio-diesel production may be bio-safety marked with lipid-soluble carotenoids and water-soluble anthocyanins, respectively. Potatoes are excellent potential sources of dietary carotenoids, and over-expression of CrtB in tubers led to the accumulation of P-carotene. Potatoes normally have low levels of leaf-type carotenoids, like canola cotyledons. 

Chaovanalikit A and Wrolstad RE. 2004. Total anthocyanins and total phenolics of fresh and processed cherries and their antioxidant properties. J Food Sci 69 FCT67-FCT72. 

Anthocyanins are a class of flavonoids separated from proanthocyani-dins. Anthocyanins have been known to be highly protective and therapeutic against especially age-related diseases such as hypertension, cardiac infraction and cerebral infarction. Additionally, because the colors of anthocyanins could help to ease psychic and physical troubles or tiredness, the anthocyanins could not only relax us, but also the colors themselves could prevent and remedy many diseases, especially, age-related diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, stroke and diabetes. Generally, anthocyanins have antioxidant properties, which could protect and enhance our body systems with bioactive abilities such as the immuno-, anticancer-, antimicrobial potencies and others. 

Studies on the antioxidant properties of anthocyanins on human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and lecithin liposome systems in vitro showed that the inhibition of oxidation increased dose-dependently with antioxidant concentration. The oxidation was catalyzed by copper in the LDL system and the effects of the anthocyanins were explained by several antioxidant mechanisms including hydrogen donation, metal chelation and protein binding [33]. Anthocyanins also prevented the oxidation of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), through chelate formation with the metal ions, and finally by the formation of an ascorbic (copigment)-metal-anthocyanin complex [49]. 

The electrochemical and antioxidant properties of delphinidin, cyani-din, pelargonidin, kuromanin and callistephin were studied [60]. Antioxidant activities of the anthocyanins were evaluated using the l,l-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging method. The order of antioxidant activity of the five anthocyanins was delphinidin > cyanidin > pelargonidin > kuromanin > callistephin. 

Since phenolic metabolites may be responsible for the antioxidant properties of fruit and vegetables it is essential to know, both qualitative and quantitatively, their phenolic constituents. Although the data is incomplete, and the quantitative data is not reliable due to the very different extraction and analytical techniques used for phenolic compound analysis, the available information is summarised in this paper. As regards fruit phenolics, a comprehensive book has been published, in which qualitative and some quantitative data are provided [16]. The anthocyanins present in fruit, vegetables and grains have also been reviewed [17],... 

Eresh fruits are strongly recommended in the human diet since they are rich in vitamins, dietary fibres, minerals and antioxidants. In particular, sweet cherries contain remarkable contents of polyphenols, such as anthocyanins, which give them the characteristic colour and antioxidant properties. Fermentation can further enhance the antioxidant properties of sweet cherries. Sweet cherry Prunusavium L.) puree fermented by selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (L. plantarum, Pediococ-cus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides) at 25 C for 36h has been reported to exhibit significantly higher DPPH radical-scavenging capacity compared to unfermented sweet cherry puree (Cagno etal., 2011). 

Dangles, O., Fargeixa, G., Dufoxu b, C. Antioxidant properties of anthocyanins and tarmins a mechanistic investigation with catechin and the 3, 4, 7-trihydroxyflavylium ion. J. Chem. Soc. (Perkin Trans) 2, 1653-63, 2000. 

SadUova E, Stintzing FC, Carle R (2006) Anthocyanins, colour and antioxidant properties of eggplant Solarium melongena L.) and violet pepper Capsicum annuum L.) peel extracts. Z Naturforsch 61c 527—535... 

Viskelis, P., Runinskiene, M., Jasutiene, 1., Earkinas, A., Daubaras, R., and Eesoniene, L. 2009. Anthocyanins, antioxidative, and antimicrobial properties of American cranberry (Vaccinium maorooarpon Ait.) and their press cakes. Journal of Food Science. 74(2), C157-C161. 

Tural, S, Koca, 1. Physico-chemical and antioxidant properties of Cornelian cherry fruits Cornus mas L.) grown in Turkey. Sci. Hortic., 2008, 116, 362-366 Vareed, SK, Reddy, MK, Schutzki, RE, Nair, MG. Anthocyanins in Cornus alternifolia, Cornus controversa, Cornus kousa and Cornus florida fruits with health benefits. Life Sci., 2006, 78, 777-784... 

The E163 additives (different types of plant/fruit extracts such as grape skin extracts, blackcurrant extracts, purple corn extract, and red cabbage extracts) are not strictly considered antioxidant additives however, the antioxidant properties of anthocyanin fiavonoids are already well described [42]. Anthocyanins constitute a natural pigment with functional properties [43] and they have been used in cheese manufacture [44]. 

---