Extraction and Stability of Anthocyanins Present in the Skin of the Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus undatus)

摘要

The extraction of anthocyanins present in the skin of the dragon fruit was performed using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) plus a mixture of methanol, acetic acid and water; the anthocyanins were then purified with a LC-18 cartridge, using methanol acidified with TFA as eluent, reaching concentrations of 44.3865 ± 1.3125 mg/100g of sample. The extracts were put through stability tests under different storage conditions, modifying the pH of the extracts (pH of 1, 4 and 6), the temperature (4℃, 25℃ and 68℃) and the absence and presence of light for a time period of 4 days; the tests indiated that anthocyanins remain more stable at a temperature of 4℃?with a pH of 4 in the absence of light, retaining up to 80% of the pigment. Three anthocyanins were partially identified in the extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); they were: cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3,5 O-glucoside and pelargonidin 3,5 O-glucoside.