The stability of saffron stamen anthocyanin extracts in oxidation and reduction media

Saffron stamens are placed next to red stigmas; yellow saffron stamens also have a saffron scent. Saffron stamen is a herbal product that is obtained from saffron flowers and added to foods as a spice to create flavor and color. The main constituents of saffron stamen are anthocyanins, which are natural flavonoid organic compounds that widely exist in natural fruits and vegetables and have been widely used in food, health products, cosmetics, and medicines, as well as in the chemical industry and other fields. The extraction and purification of anthocyanins from natural plants is the premise of anthocyanin application. Anthocyanins are easily changed to undesirable brown-colored compounds due to their low stability and high reactivity. In this study, the effect of ascorbic acid (10%, 20%, and 30% ) and hydrogen peroxide ( 9.3, 18.6, and 27.92 mM) were investigated on the stability of the anthocyanin contents in saffron stamen at 35°C and 5 °C. The total anthocyanin content was determined according to the pH differential method based on cyanidin 3-galactoside (dominant anthocyanin). Ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide, compared with the control, showed a reduced anthocyanin stability at both 35°C and 5°C. The half-life of degradation increased with increasing concentrations of ascorbic acid. With increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, the stability of anthocyanins was reduced. In the presence of ascorbic acid at 5 °C, anthocyanin was more stable than at 35°C.