Symrise develops new anthocyanin identification process

Symrise has developed a procedure for analysing the health-promoting ingredients in wild bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus). According to the company, the process allows individual anthocyanins to be more quickly and precisely identified, while the efficient and environmentally friendly analysis method guarantees that product quality remains consistently high.

Anthocyanins are secondary ingredients that are found in plants, including wild bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), and have antioxidant properties. Different plants create these compounds in different ways; the bilberry has no fewer than 15 different anthocyanins. To identify and classify the anthocyanins, which consists of analysing their quality and authenticity, various chromatographic methods are used, such as HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography).

Symrise researchers further refined the standard method outlined in the European Pharmacopoeia. The new technology is said to be incredibly sensitive and to deliver high-resolution, accurate data – reliably detecting biofunctional ingredients.

With the new HPLC method, Symrise believes it has succeeded in substantially increasing the efficiency of the analysis process that identifies biofunctional ingredients in wild bilberries while also improving environmental compatibility.

According to the company, the quality of extracts, such as those from the bilberry, can also be checked more thoroughly with this method and can even be optimised and improved.

Symrise says that the method separates and quantifies the anthocyanins three times faster than conventional methods, reducing energy costs as well as the volume of solvents used by a third. All the solvents are also biodegradable, which eliminates disposal costs.

Additionally, the new method of analysis enables researchers to precisely determine the content and distribution of anthocyanins as well as their individual composition using conventional analysis equipment.

A production site in Hamburg produces the bilberry extract, and is already benefiting from the new analytical metho.

“Our customers place great value on carefully produced and high-quality products,” said Dr. Hillers, head of the Hamburg plant. “The new analytical method optimises our quality control processes in a significant way. From an environmental perspective, the method is in line with our commitment to sustainability and shows how serious Symrise is about the subject.”