Development and market assessment of a reliable and efficacious anthocyanin-based healthy food ingredient

To date, there is a growing attention to the use of plant-food bioactives in disease prevention. Anthocyanin, a colorful plant pigment extracted from purple and blue color fruits and vegetables has been investigated broadly for its cancer preventive and immunity boosting properties. However, anthocyanin degrade during the conventional food processing conditions such as exposure to high temperature and light. Moreover, the benefits of anthocyanin could reduce due to gastric acid and gut enzymes. Therefore, the amount of anthocyanin ultimately absorbed to the body is very minimum and that amount is not able to produce the pronounced health benefits. To overcome above, we will develop anthocyanin-based food ingredient with a protective natural coating. As for the next step, the marketing feasibility of new anthocyanin-based food ingredient will be assessed through gaining consumer feed backs.

Faculty Supervisor:

Vasantha Rupasinghe

Student:

K.V. Surangi Dharmawansa

Partner:

Springboard Atlantic

Discipline:

Food science

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Dalhousie University