Affiliation: | 1. Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028 South Africa Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Formal analysis (equal), Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Writing - original draft (equal);2. Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028 South Africa Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Supervision (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal);3. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Plant Sciences Complex, Private Bag X20 Hatfield, 0028 South Africa Contribution: Conceptualization (equal), Investigation (equal), Methodology (equal), Supervision (equal), Writing - review & editing (equal);4. Department of Consumer and Food Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028 South Africa |
Abstract: | This study determined the anthocyanin profile of pigmented flower extracts from some Geraniaceae and Lamiaceae plant species found in South Africa, and their thermal and oxidative stability to assess their potential food application. Anthocyanins in the Geraniaceae (Pelargonium grandiflorum Willd. and Pelargonium × hortorum L.H. Bailey, Pelargonium zonale hybrid) were 3,5-diglucosides of delphinidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, peonidin and malvidin and acetyl-acylated malvidin, delphinidin and petunidin. The Lamiaceae species (Salvia aurea × dolomitica Bae’s blue, Salvia dolomitica Codd and Plectranthus zuluensis T. Cooke) mainly contained rutinosides of pelargonidin, glucosides of petunidin, pelargonidin and p-coumaric acid- and malonyl-acylated delphinidin and malvidin. Lamiaceae pigments had higher thermal and oxidative stability. This could be due to aromatic malonyl-acylated anthocyanin self-association and strong intermolecular interactions with phenolic acids and derivatives. Flowers from Lamiaceae and Geraniaceae have potential application as natural food colourants, but temperature and oxidising conditions must be considered depending on the particular species being used. |