https://doi.org/10.17113/ftb.60.03.22.7203

Enhancement of Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Mulberry Anthocyanins Through Succinic Acid Acylation

Bei Zhang^1§, Xizhi Jiang^1§, Gaiqun Huang^1,2, Xiangdong Xin¹, Thomas Attaribo¹, Yueyue Zhang¹, Ning Zhang¹ and Zhongzheng Gui^1,3*

¹School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, #666 Changhui Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, PR China

²Sericultural Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, #87 Hezhong Street, Nanchong, Sichuan 637000, PR China

³Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, #666 Changhui Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212018, PR China

Article history:

Received: 22 February 2021

Accepted: 7 April 2022

Keywords:

mulberry fruit; anthocyanin stability; acylation; antioxidant activity

Summary:

Research background. Anthocyanins possess valuable health-promoting activities with significant health benefits for humans. However, their instability is a limiting factor for their usage in functional foods and beverages.

Experimental approach. In this work, a new method to enhance the stability of anthocyanins from mulberry fruit through acylation by using succinic acid as a selected acyl donor was explored. The Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology was applied to determine the optimized conditions for the acylation process.

Results and conclusions. The highest acylation conversion rate was 79.04 % at anthocyanins to succinic acid mass ratio 1:8.96, acylation duration 3 h and temperature 50 °C. Structural analysis of acylated anthocyanins revealed that succinic acid introduces a C-O-C bond and a hydroxyl group. The thermostability and light stability of mulberry anthocyanins were significantly improved after acylation, and the antioxidant activity expressed as total reducing power and Fe²⁺‑chelating capacity of the acylated anthocyanins was also enhanced.

Novelty and scientific contribution. Succinic acid acylation provides a novel method for stabilizing mulberry anthocyanins, as evidenced by the increased stability and antioxidant ability of anthocyanins, and thus facilitates its use in the food and nutraceutical industries.

^§These authors contributed equally to this work