Anthocyanin Extraction and pH-Modulated Color Alterations in Butterfly Pea Flower ( Clitoria ternatea L.)

Abstract

This study explores the potential of Butterfly pea flowers (BPF) as an abundant reservoir of anthocyanins, offering natural colorants. These flowers contain ternatin, responsible for their distinct and naturally occurring blue hue. Fresh and dried BPF were obtained locally and subjected to anthocyanin extraction through a 72-hour maceration process, using methanol as the solvent. Overall anthocyanin content was quantified using the pH differential method at both pH 1 and pH 4.5. Notably, fresh BPF exhibited significantly higher total anthocyanin levels (551,063 mg/L) compared to dried flowers (217,086 mg/L). The study also evaluated the color changes in BPF extracts across a wide range of environmental pH conditions, spanning from pH 1 to pH 14. The findings highlighted the remarkable sensitivity of CTAs-1 to color changes under varying pH conditions, suggests its capability as a reliable pH indicator. Additionally, this research underscores the viability of fresh BPF as a valuable alternative source for rare blue food coloring, making it a valuable contribution to the field.