Analysis and characterisation of anthocyanins in mulberry fruit.

Qin C., Li Y., Niu W., Ding Y., Zhang R., Shang X. (2010): Analysis and characterisation of anthocy - anins in mulberry fruit . Czech J. Food Sci., 28: 117-126. The fruit of mulberry ( Morus alba L., Moraceae) has been used as medicinal food in China for a long history. The pigment from the fruit extract is a kind of natural colourant for food processing and has potential medical and com - mercial values. This study focuses on the analysis and characterisation of anthocyanins from mulberry pigment. The fresh mulberry fruits were extracted with the solvent of 95% alcohol/0.1% HC l (1:1, ratio) at room temperature for 4 h in the dark. After the isolation using C-18 column, the pigment was identified with UV-Visible Spectroscopy, HPLC-PAD, LC-MS, and 1 HNMR. The results showed that the abundant anthocyanins in mulberry pigment are cya - nidin 3- O-rutinoside (60%) and cyanidin 3- O-glucoside (38%). The minor anthocyanins (totally 2%) are pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside and pelargonidin 3- O-rutinoside.