Potential Use of Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) as Natural Colorant and Antioxidant in the Food Industry. A Review
- Benjamin Machlitt
- Apr 29
- 2 min read
Elderberries (and their products) are potential coloring agents and antioxidants that can be used in the food industry. However, despite the excellent coloring properties due to their high anthocyanin content, as well as their high antioxidant capacity (polyphenols, vitamins, etc.), nowadays, their use is rare, and there have been a very limited number of applications; thus, this product is underused.
Studies published on different foods report an obvious color change and also an increase in the antioxidant capacity of the food with the incorporation of elderberry products in the formulation. In addition, bioactive compounds are incorporated, which not only help to improve the shelf-life of food but also have important benefits for the health of consumers.
Even so, within the few studies that used elderberry for food reformulation, there are multiple ways to add it (juice, powder, pomace powder, concentrate, vinegar, etc.), making the results less comparable. This, together with the diversity of foods (dairy, meat, bakery, etc.) means that the addition of elderberries can have different implications. Therefore, it should be noted that more studies should be carried out on the application of Sambucus nigra berries as a coloring and antioxidant ingredient, as well as studies of their implications for the nutritional and sensory quality and the shelf-life of foods. In addition, and in those foods that are subjected to any treatment that can significantly affect the stability of the bioactive compounds provided by elderberry, stabilization techniques (e.g., encapsulation) should be used to increase their stability.
As a general conclusion, the incorporation of elderberry products has potential applications in the food industry since the use of elderberry is a promising strategy for producing functional foods and increasing their shelf-life. Moreover, the use of elderberries can help reduce the use of synthetic additives in food formulation. However, studies on the amount and the strategy used for elderberries’ incorporation should be carried out to ensure a positive effect on the nutritional and technological properties of foods, while improving or at least not affecting the sensory quality of the foods.
Link to full article at MDPI
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