Abstract
Any processing method that maintains the level of compounds known for their health benefits will be of interest to the food industries. Therefore, the effects of vacuum drying, storage and freezing on the anthocyanin content and their antioxidant properties of Iresine herbstii L. flowers were investigated. The results showed that fresh samples (AEFF) had the highest amount of total anthosyanin content (8.31 ± 0.23 mg/g dry matter, expressed as cyaniding 3-glucoside equivalents), followed by 7.17 ± 0.12 mg/g solid content, 13.72% loss of vacuum dried samples (AEDF). In comparison with fresh samples, total anthocyanins in stored samples for two weeks at 5°C (AESF) and frozen samples during 1 (AEZF1) and 3 months (AEZF3) of storage were significantly (P I. herbstii L. flowers exhibited a dose-dependent (AEFF > AEDF > AESF > AEZF1 > AEZF3, respectively) antioxidant activity against lipid peroxidation in a linoleic acid model system as well as strong reducing power and ferrous ion chelating abilities. Moreover, the anthocyanins extracted were found to show remarkable scavenging activity on superoxide anion radicals, hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide radicals and deoxyribose degradation. Based on the results obtained, we can concluded that the Iresine herbstii L. flowers may be valuable natural antioxidant sources and are potentially applicable in both pharmacy and food industry
Highlights
Antioxidants are widely used as a food additive to provide protection against oxidative degradation of foods by free radicals
Because during the drying and storage of frozen flowers, the content of anthocyanin and their antioxidant activities may be altered resulting in a change in antioxidant properties, the goal of this research was to investigate and to compare total anthocyanin and their antioxidant activities in frozen or dried flowers, and to compare them with the values found in fresh flowers
During the kept of flowers samples at 5 ̊C for 2 weeks [AESF] before extraction, there was a slow degradation of anthocyanins
Summary
Antioxidants are widely used as a food additive to provide protection against oxidative degradation of foods by free radicals. Anthocyanins are polyphenolic compounds responsible for cyanic colors ranging from salmon pink through red and violet to dark blue of most flowers, fruits, leaves and stems They comprise the largest group of the water‐soluble pigments in the plant kingdom [1], and during the last few years it has been an exponential increase in the report of new anthocyanin structures [4]. This can be explained by the use of improved analytical techniques, but the potential use of anthocyanins as health beneficial compounds is another reason for the increased scientific interest in these pigments. The findings from this work may add to the overall value of the medicinal potential of the plant
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