The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library Spring 5-6-2016 A competitive assessment of commercial elderberry (Sambucus sp.) products and the evaluation of copigmentation within elderberry tinctures Joseph A. Galetti PhD [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd Part of the Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Food Chemistry Commons, Food Processing Commons, and the Other Food Science Commons Recommended Citation Galetti, Joseph A. PhD, "A competitive assessment of commercial elderberry (Sambucus sp.) products and the evaluation of copigmentation within elderberry tinctures" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2693. http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/2693 This Open-Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. A COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT COMMERCIAL ELDERBERRY (SAMBUCUS SP.) PRODUCTS AND THE EVALUATION OF COPIGMENTATION WITHIN ELDERBERRY TINCTURES By Joseph A. Galetti M.S. The University of Maine, 2010 A THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Food and Nutrition Sciences) The Graduate School The University of Maine May 2016 Advisory Committee: L. Brian Perkins, Research Assistant Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Advisor Rodney Bushway, Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition Denise Skonberg, Associate Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition Beth Calder, Associate Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition Christina Khoo, Senior Manager of Research Sciences, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. THESIS ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT On behalf of the Graduate Committee for Joseph A. Galetti, I affirm that this manuscript is the final and accepted thesis. Signatures of all committee members are on file with the Graduate School at the University of Maine, 42 Stodder Hall, Orono Maine. Dr. L. Brian Perkins, Research Assistant Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine ii © 2016 Joseph A. Galetti All Rights Reserved iii LIBRARY RIGHTS STATEMENT In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Maine, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for “fair use” copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Librarian. It is understood that any copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Signature: Date: A COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT COMMERCIAL ELDERBERRY (SAMBUCUS SP.) PRODUCTS AND THE EVALUATION OF COPIGMENTATION WITHIN ELDERBERRY TINCTURES By Joseph A. Galetti Thesis Advisor: Dr. L. Brian Perkins An Abstract of the Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Food and Nutrition Sciences) May 2016 Elderberry (Sambucus sp.) fruit is a healthful food with a variety of reported curative properties and is among the richest sources of anthocyanic pigmentation, which are the primary factors for its commercial use. Although a variety of value-added elderberry products are available to consumers, it is questionable as to which product form contains the highest nutrient levels and color stability characteristics, and represents the best value to consumers. It was the objectives of this research to evaluate a variety of commercial elderberry products, and to develop a value-added elderberry product with enhanced nutrient and color stability. The first part of this research evaluated the nutrient and color stability of several value-added elderberry products (syrups, tinctures, concentrates, capsules, lozenges, dried fruit, powder) throughout 10 weeks of accelerated temperature (32° C) storage. Most of the products contained appreciable amounts of anthocyanins and other nutrients, which generally exceeded the values observed within raw elderberry fruit. However, the elderberry tinctures contained low levels of anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and sugars; high levels of moisture/alcohol, and displayed poor nutrient and color stability throughout storage. The elderberry syrups, capsules, and lozenges generally displayed favorable phytochemical and color stability characteristics. Kerr Elderberry Concentrate and NP Nutra® Elderberry P.E. 10:1 powder contained substantial amounts of phytochemicals and pigmentation, which demonstrates their value within wholesale food markets. The second part of this research determined the nutrient and color stability effects of copigment additives (rosemary extract, tannic acid, black carrot color, purple sweet potato color, enzymatically modified isoquercitrin) within elderberry tinctures throughout 6 weeks storage at 21° C. The results did not demonstrate effective copigmentation among any of the tinctures with copigment additives, which was likely due to the high ethanol content of the tinctures. All of the copigment additives contributed to increased phenolic contents and antioxidant activity within the tinctures, and black carrot and purple sweet potato color additives caused significant (p≤0.05) effects to the L*a*b* color values, monomeric anthocyanins, color density, and polymeric color of the tinctures. The results demonstrated that elderberry anthocyanins degraded into colorless products prior to converting into brown colored anthocyanin- tannin products throughout storage. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents and grandparents for a life- time of support and care, and for giving me the strength to accomplish my goals. Secondly, I would like to thank Dr. Brian Perkins for inviting me into the analytical lab to continue my studies as a PhD student, and for your generous research support. I am greatly appreciative for the opportunity to complete my 'grand mission'. I would like to thank Drs. Denise Skonberg, Beth Calder, Rodney Bushway, and Christina Khoo for your participation as part of my committee and for your expert tutelage. You're all obviously well qualified in your fields, and I feel well prepared to embark on future food science endeavors. Special thanks to Dr. Jannie Marais, Dr. Geoff Woolford, and the entire research sciences department at Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. for inviting me into the team, and for your generous research support. Additional thanks to Heath Hill Farm for your generous donation of elderberry fruit, which was utilized within this research to produce elderberry tinctures. I dedicate this thesis to my mother, Deborah Galetti, who sacrificed her life so I could have a better one, and will always be my greatest hero. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………………………………......iv LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….....ix LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………….……………………………….……………xiii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………….……………………………………………….…..1 Elderberry Ecology……………………………………………………………………………………………..1 Medicinal Uses for Elderberry…………………………………………………………………………....4 Elderberry Composition and Phytochemicals………………………………………………….....7 Proanthocyanidin Analytical Methods..................................................................14 Elderberry Product Development and Marketing……………………………………………..17 Anthocyanin Copigmentation...............................................................................25 Objectives.............................................................................................................30 CHAPTER 2. A COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT OF COMMERCIAL ELDERBERRY (SAMBUCUS SP.) PRODUCTS……………....……………………………………………………………31 Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………………………31 Materials and Methods……………………………………………………………………………….......31 Elderberry Products..................................................................................31 Moisture....................................................................................................35 Water Activity...........................................................................................35 Soluble Solids............................................................................................36 Total Proanthocyanidins...........................................................................36 Proanthocyanidins Purification.....................................................36 v Response Factor............................................................................39 Proanthocyanidins Recovery.........................................................40 Proanthocyanidins Assay..............................................................40 Titratable Acidity and Vitamin C...............................................................42 Spectrophotometric Color........................................................................43 L*a*b* Color.............................................................................................43 Sugars Profile............................................................................................44 Anthocyanins Profile.................................................................................45 Organic Acids Profile.................................................................................47 Statistical Analyses....................................................................................48