The use of caucasian whortleberry (Vaccinium arctostaphylos) of as a food colorant

In this study, it is aimed to obtain blue/purple natural dye color by chelation of the anthocyanins of naturally grown in the Black Sea region in our country caucasian whortleberry (Vaccinium arctostaphylos L.) with iron and with encapsulation and to determine the optimum conditions for the determination of anthocyanins. As a result of the analyzes made on the caucasian whortleberry pH value was found as 2.8 ± 0.07, dry matter rate was 26.21 ± 1.23 g/100g, ash content was 0.32 ± 0.05 g/100g, and anthocyanin amount was 80.56 ± 1.75 mg/100g. Acetone, ethanol, methanol and distilled water at different temperatures (25ºC, 50ºC, 75ºC) and different percentages (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%) were used for the determination of optimum conditions for extraction of anthocyanin in caucasian whortleberry by using ultrasonic water bath. The optimum conditions has been determined as 100% acetone and 25°C. Liquid natural blue color material, obtained by chelating caucasian whortleberry of with iron and the model with pH values set to be as 4.50, 5.00, 5.50 and 6.00 and which has a gelatin content was added to the system. The coating material used for microencapsulation was maltodextrin. Color values during storage were measured and at the end of storage kinetic parameters for color loss were estimated. As a result of the study, the encapsulation efficiency of the anthocyanin powders was calculated as 80.4 ± 0.20% and the anthocyanin uptake rate was calculated as 83.0 ± 0.76%. It was observed that blue color loss in model systems starts on the 5th day for all temperatures and accelerates inline with the increase in temperature and pH. It was determined that the encapsulation process increased the blue color stability and that the blue color loss is compatible with the first order reaction kinetics. It was seen that the sample which preserves the blue color most was the model system stored at 25 ºC with a pH of 5.00. Total color change (ΔE) of this model system during storage was calculated as 5.86; activation energy (Ea) was calculated as 37.64 kJ/mol and half-life time (t1/2) was calculated as 19.08 days. A blue/purple natural food dye was obtained from caucasian whortleberry, and a alternative food color was put on the synthetic foodstuffs for the food industry.