Compositions enriched in anthocyanins

Abstract

This invention provides compositions enriched for anthocyanins and methods of preparation thereof from a crude plant extract. The method of preparation includes a novel column purification step using a brominated polystyrene resin.

1 . A purified blueberry extract, said extract being characterized as having an HPLC chromatogram as shown in  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 6 .  
     
     
         2 . The blueberry extract of  claim 1  wherein said extract comprises between about 8-35% anthocyanins by weight of said extract.  
     
     
         3 . A purified blueberry extract comprising between about 8-40% anthocyanins by weight of said extract.  
     
     
         4 . A purified bilberry extract, said extract being characterized as having a HPLC chromatogram as shown in  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 4 , wherein during the process of making said extract no bisulfite ions are added.  
     
     
         5 . The bilberry extract of  claim 4 , wherein said extract comprises about 8-50% anthocyanins by weight of said extract.  
     
     
         6 . The purified bilberry extract, comprising about 8-55% anthocyanins by weight of said extract, wherein during the process of making said extract no bisulfite ions are added.  
     
     
         7 . A purified bilberry extract comprising between about 8-12% anthocyanins by weight of said extract, wherein during the process of making said extract no bisulfite ions are added.  
     
     
         8 . A purified bilberry extract comprising between about 40-55% anthocyanins by weight of said extract, wherein during the process of making said extract no bisulfite ions are added.  
     
     
         9 . A bilberry extract comprising 3.3% delphinidin-3-O-galactoside, 3.9% delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, 2.1 cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, 2.6% delphinidin-3-O-arabinoside, 2.8% cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, 1.0% petunidin-3-O-galactoside, 2.5% petunidin-3-O-glucoside, 1.7% cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, 0.3% peonidin-3-O-galactoside, 0.8% petunidin-3-O-arabinoside, 2.1% malvidin-3-O-galactoside/peonidin-3-O-glucoside, 2.5% malvidin-3-O-glucoside, 0.1% peonidin-3-O-arabinose, and 0.6% malvidin-3-O-arabinose, wherein during the process of making said extract no bisulfite ions are added.