INFLUENCE OF NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS ON THE COLOR STABILITY OF CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS CONTAINING FRUIT AND BERRY RAW MATERIALS
Abstract
Current trends in the food industry are focused on producing foods with natural ingredients, enhanced nutritional value, and minimal use of synthetic food additives. One of the most promising approaches is replacing synthetic colorants and color stabilizers with natural compounds that not only preserve the attractive appearance of products but also improve their functional properties. Plant-derived natural antioxidants have attracted considerable attention because of their ability to inhibit the oxidative degradation of anthocyanins and maintain the natural color of berry-based foods during storage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of plant-derived natural antioxidants on the color stability of berry confectionery products, evaluate their ability to preserve anthocyanins, and assess their potential as an alternative to synthetic color stabilizers. The object of the study was jelly marmalade prepared from black currant puree. Rosemary extract, green tea extract, and grape seed polyphenol concentrate were used as natural antioxidants. The samples were stored for 60 days at 20±2 °C. Color stability was evaluated using the CIELAB color system (L*, a*, b*), total color difference (ΔE), anthocyanin retention, and antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH assay. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results demonstrated that natural antioxidants significantly slowed anthocyanin degradation during storage. Grape seed polyphenol concentrate showed the highest efficiency, providing 86.5% anthocyanin retention after 60 days compared with only 58.4% in the control sample. The total color difference (ΔE) decreased from 9.21 in the control to 3.42 in the treated samples, indicating considerably better color stability. The addition of plant antioxidants increased antioxidant activity by 35–70% compared with the control and improved the sensory characteristics of the products. Samples containing green tea extract and grape seed polyphenols received the highest sensory evaluation scores. The obtained results confirm that plant-derived natural antioxidants can be successfully used as an alternative to synthetic color stabilizers in berry confectionery technology. Their application ensures better preservation of natural pigments, enhances antioxidant capacity, improves sensory quality, and supports the development of confectionery products that meet the requirements of the Clean Label concept. Further research should focus on optimizing antioxidant concentrations for different berry raw materials, investigating synergistic effects of combined plant extracts, developing microencapsulation technologies, and evaluating the influence of innovative packaging systems on long-term color stability.
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