WO2012033536A2

WO2012033536A2 - Red radish and rosemary compositions with enhanced color stability and use of same in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals

Info

Publication number: WO2012033536A2
Application number: PCT/US2011/001564
Authority: WO
Inventors: E. George Kean; Mark Reilly
Original assignee: Kalamazoo Holdings Inc
Current assignee: Kalamazoo Holdings Inc
Priority date: 2010-09-09
Filing date: 2011-09-09
Publication date: 2012-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2013-03-09
Also published as: WO2012033536A3

Abstract

The present invention encompasses stabilized anthocyanin pigments as colorants in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications, as well as methods for stabilizing anthocyanin pigments, including Raphanus sativus (red radish) anthocyanin pigments, using rosmarinic acid. The instant invention further relates to a compositional combination of red radish anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid, which can be mixed with other anthocyanin pigments and colors to stabilize the resultant anthocyanin composition.

Description

RED RADISH AND ROSEMARY COMPOSITIONS WITH ENHANCED COLOR STABILITY AND USE OF SAME IN FOODS, BEVERAGES, COSMETICS AND

PHARMACEUTICALS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The instant invention relates to improved coloring compositions

comprising anthocyanin pigments and rosmarinic acid, which compositions provide anthocyanin pigments having enhanced stability from color loss. The improved coloring compositions provide natural colorants with improved stability for a broad range of food and beverage applications, as well as application in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

[0002] Consumers around the world are increasingly concerned about the safety of synthetic food colorants and are encouraging food manufacturers to take on the difficult task of replacing them with natural coloring ingredients. Natural colorants, in general, are less stable than their synthetic counterparts, and this presents the food industry with the serious challenge of finding or devising natural colorant formulations that have sufficient stability for a broad range of food applications.

[0003] Anthocyanins are a class of plant-derived colors commonly found in fruits, berries and flowers. They are used to some extent in foods as colorants, but stability concerns, cost and other issues limit their utility. They are among the least stable of commonly used natural colorants. Anthocyanins degrade in the presence of light, heat and oxidizing substances. Their hue shifts with changes in pH. These characteristics are problems for food technologists.

[0004] Anthocyanins occur as mixtures of isomers in various types of plant matter, juices and extracts and it is these substances, containing mixtures of

anthocyanins, rather than single anthocyanin compounds that are generally used as colorants. Anthocyanins are flavonoid derivatives, represented by the following general structure:

where R-i , R2, R3, R₄, R5, Re and R₇ can be certain combinations of -H, -OH and -OCH3. The hydroxyl groups in certain positions are often functionalized with sugars and certain hydroxyl groups on the sugars can, in turn, be functionalized with carboxylic acids (forming esters). For many anthocyanins, the acids are phenolic carboxylic acids, such as ferrulic acid, caffeic acid or sinapic acid. Over 400 anthocyanin compounds have been described. The stability of a particular anthocyanin is affected by the degree of oxygenation, the position of hydroxyl and methoxyl groups, the presence of sugars, the type of sugar, the degree of acylation of the sugar and the type of acid involved in the acylation. When the combination of substitution pattern, the type of sugar entity and the type of phenolic acid allow, the phenolic acid can assume an orientation that permits a stabilizing interaction between its electron-rich ring and the electron-poor flavylium ring of the anthocyanin. This is commonly referred to as intramolecular copigmentation. The term copigmentation refers to the physical effects of the electronic interaction that results in an enhancement in the absorbance and in some cases, a bathochromic shift in the wavelength of the maximum absorbance of the pigment. Copigmentation can occur in an intermolecular sense as well, and many phenolic compounds have been found to interact with anthocyanin compounds in this manner. Properly substituted anthocyanins in the presence of other phenolics can exhibit a combination of intra- and intermolecular copigmentation. Phenolic compounds can also improve the stability of colorants by acting as radical scavenging antioxidants.

[0005] Food manufacturers need more highly stabilized anthocyanin colors for use in food applications.

[0006] In US Patent 5,908,650, Lenoble, et al. describe improved pigment compositions containing an anthocyanin pigment and an effective amount of a pigment-improving agent comprising a flavonoid glycuronide or a flavonoid glucuronide. The pigment-improving agents of Lenoble, et al. are defined to be compounds which are both a copigment and stabilizer of anthocyanin-based color. The pigment improving agents are described to increase/deepen the hue and improve the intensity of the color of anthocyanin pigment and increase its stability in the presence of light, heat and/or pH.

[0007] The pigment improving agents of Lenoble, et al. are described and claimed to comprise a flavonoid glycuronide or a flavonoid glucuronide. Lenoble, et al. explain that glucuronides derived from rosemary, sage and peppermint have now been found to be unexpectedly potent pigment-improving agents.

Other plant materials containing flavonoid glycuronides are also described to yield water-soluble plant extracts with pigment-improving agents. Lenoble, et al. describe plant materials containing flavonoid glycuronides which are useful as source of flavonoid glycuronides to practice the invention.

[0008] Lenoble, et al. describe the effect of flavonoids on anthocyanin pigments.

"It has long been known that flavonoids are often associated with

anthocyanins in plants. Certain flavonoids have been shown to cause both a bathochromic and hyperchromic shift in the absorption spectrum of anthocyanins. The 'bathochromic shift' refers to an increase in the wavelength at which the wavelength is greatest, the A_max. The

'hyperchromic shift' refers to an increase in absorbance at A_max. The shift in Amax and increase in absorbance is called 'copigmentation.' Copigmentation results in a color shift toward longer wavelength and a more intense color than that seen in the anthocyanin alone. Copigmentation of anthocyanins is believed responsible for the wide range of color shades found in flowers." See Lenoble, et al. at Column 2, lines 7-19.

[0009] The pigment-improving agents of Lenoble, et al. are described to be potent copigments for anthocyanins. In other words, they are effective in deepening the color of anthocyanins and increasing their intensity.

[0010] The authors describe the copigmenting effect of various water soluble extracts from herbs on anthocyanin pigments, wherein the extracts may comprise phenolic compounds, caffeic acid compounds, rosmarinic acid, flavonoid glycuronides, flavonoid glucuronides and/or other flavonoid compounds.

Moreover, Lenoble, et al. describe the copigmenting effect of a water-soluble rosemary extract (WSRE) which extract comprises 57 g/L rosmarinic acid and 18 g/L luteolin 3'-0- -glucuronide (L3'G), a flavonoid glucuronide.

[0011] Lenoble, et al. conclude that, "WSRE improved the intensity of the anthocyanin-based pigments in grapeskin, red cabbage, hibiscus and elderberry. Both a hyperchromic and bathochromic effect was seen in all pigments, indicating the existence of copigmentation." See Lenoble, et al. at Column 10, lines 64-67.

[0012] Lenoble, et al. disclose improved pigment compositions which comprise an effective amount of a pigment improving agent comprising a flavonoid glycuronide or a flavonoid glucuronide, wherein the pigment improving agent is both a copigment and stabilizer of anthocyanin-based color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A large number of anthocyanin colorants from various plants were screened in an effort to find the more stable anthocyanin pigment sources with the appropriate color hues for use in food and beverage applications. The effect of adding rosmarinic acid, a phenolic compound found in Labiatae herbs, on anthocyanin stability was also examined. We have found one very specific and surprising combination of a plant-derived anthocyanin and rosmarinic acid that has unexpectedly high stability over and above other combinations of anthocyanin pigment and rosmarinic acid which have been evaluated.

[0013] We have found that the color stability of a mixture of anthocyanins derived from red radishes stored under lit conditions is greatly and surprisingly enhanced by the addition of rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid addition does not have a similarly high color stabilizing effect on any of the other plant-derived anthocyanin mixtures we evaluated. In fact, rosmarinic acid decreases the color stability of many of the anthocyanin pigment formulations examined (see Table 1 ). In contrast, rosmarinic acid proved to be a very effective stabilizer for red radish anthocyanins and none of the other natural phenolic antioxidants evaluated are as effective at stabilizing red radish anthocyanins as rosmarinic acid (water soluble rosemary extract) (see Table 2). These are unique and surprising findings that have not been described before.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1. Relative color stability of anthocyanin formulations in a beverage matrix.

Figure 2. Stability of Red Radish versus Purple Corn. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Our invention comprises a blend of anthocyanin pigments from red radish and rosmarinic acid. The resulting combination is a coloring composition with improved stability suitable for use in food, beverage and other applications. The combination of rosemary extract comprising rosmarinic acid and anthocyanins from red radish shows unique stability.

[0015] Water extracts of rosemary and other herbs can contain compounds that are effective stabilizers, compounds such as the flavonoid glycuronides and glucuronides as described in Lenoble, et al. The rosmarinic acid of our invention is characterized by the almost complete absence of flavonoid derivatives in contrast to the compositions described in Lenoble, et al. The ratio of rosmarinic acid to luteolin-7-O-glucoside is greater than 40:1 in the compositions of the instant invention. The active ingredient contained in the instant rosemary extract is rosmarinic acid, which rosmarinic acid may not be characterized as a flavonoid compound.

[0016] Table 1. Percent Retention of Color (Absorbance Value) of Anthocyanin in a Beverage Matrix after Storage in the Light for One Month (See Example 2 for Experimental Details).

[0017] No other anthocyanin mixture is as positively affected by rosmarinic acid as is the mixture derived from red radishes (Table 1 ). In fact, many anthocyanin pigments which were tested showed decreased color stability in the presence of rosmarinic acid (See Table 1.) [0018] Table 2. Percent Retention of Color (Absorbance Value) of Red Radish Anthocyanins Treated with Various Stabilizers in a Beverage Matrix after Storage in the Light for One Month (See Example 2 for Experimental Details).

Stabilizers Blended with Red Radish % Color Retention

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid 79

(EDTA)

Punicalagins (pomegranate extract) 75

Enzymatically modified isoquercitrin 65

(EMIQ);

Control (no antioxidants) 61

Rosmarinic acid (rosemary extract) 97

[0019] No other stabilizer is as effective as rosmarinic acid at enhancing the stability of red radish anthocyanins (see Table 2).

[0020] As illustrated by the examples herein, we have found that rosmarinic acid very effectively stabilizes red radish anthocyanin pigments and shows a hyperchromic increase; however, it does not cause a bathochromic shift in the Amax (within experimental error). Thus, the instant combination of red radish anthocyanin pigments and rosmarinic acid does not provide copigmentation of anthocyanin based color, which copigmentation is defined in the art as being a shift in h_max (bathochromic shift) and an increase in absorbance (hyperchromic shift).

[0021] Our invention further comprises the method or use of rosmarinic acid stabilized red radish anthocyanins as colorants in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications.

[0022] Our invention further comprises a compositional combination of red radish anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid, which can be mixed with other pigments and colors to stabilize the resultant mixture. As an example, although rosmarinic acid actually destabilizes certain pigments, such as black carrot, from Table 1 , the combination of red radish and rosmarinic acid is found to be stabilizina when added to black carrot anthocyanins, even when black carrot anthocyanins make up the largest share of the anthocyanins in the blend.

[0023] The effect of rosmarinic acid and / or red radish anthocyanins on the stability of other anthocyanins is complex and dependent upon a number of factors. We have found that the stability of anthocyanins and the effects of rosmarinic acid and / or red radish anthocyanins in beverages is influenced by the presence or absence of sugar. An example of this effect is shown in the experiments described in Example 8 and Table 7.

[0024] When corn syrup (sugar) was present in the beverage base, each of the anthocyanin control samples showed enhanced stability vs. a beverage base in which there was no sugar (non-sweetened) in the absence of antioxidant. In the sweetened beverage base, rosmarinic acid was decidedly prooxidant in two of the four cases - red cabbage and red yam- and was relatively inert in purple corn (slight antioxidant activity) and black carrot (slight prooxidant activity). The combination of red radish extract and rosmarinic acid was an effective

antioxidant in three of the four anthocyanin pigments - purple corn, black carrot, and red yam in the sweetened beverage base.

[0025] In the unsweetened beverage base, however, rosmarinic acid, alone, was an effective antioxidant for all of the anthocyanins - purple corn, black carrot, red yam (sweet potato juice), and red cabbage. Red radish anthocyanins, alone, exhibited a stabilizing effect on anthocyanin pigments from purple corn and red cabbage and were neutral for black carrot and red yam. The combination of red radish and rosmarinic acid was antioxidant for all anthocyanin pigments - purple corn, black carrot, red yam, and red cabbage, showing surprising stability, especially, in the case of red cabbage, black carrot and purple corn (Table 7).

[0026] In general, the combination of rosemary extract comprising rosmarinic acid and anthocyanins from red radish provide a composition exhibiting enhanced stability of the anthocyanin pigments. [0027] The positive stabilizing influence of rosmarinic acid on red radish anthocyanin pigments is proven with blends of 20 to 400 ppm (rosemary extract) combined with 1000-1600 color units of red radish extract at a usage rate of 0.05 to 0.1 % in typical acidic beverage bases subjected to light and heat . The current invention includes food/beverage products having red radish anthocyanin extract and an effective amount of rosmarinic acid, as described in this disclosure. The blend can be used as an additive for foods and can be prepared in a dry state in neat form, or plated on a suitable carrier or as a water or liquid-based

concentrate. Numerous food-suitable diluents and carriers that dissolve or suspend the ingredients effectively can be contemplated and are included in this invention. Application of the inventive composition may be varied according to the end use requirements for the finished food, beverage, cosmetic or

pharmaceutical. The composition may be applied at different stages during the production of a given food product in the most suitable manner as determined by one skilled in the art.

[0028] The stabilizing effect of rosemary extract comprising rosmarinic acid on red radish anthocyanin pigments is further validated with the following

experiments performed using the methodologies described below.

Examples

Example ! Initial Screening

[0029] A total of 67 commercial anthocyanin-based extracts were profiled based on the following botanical parts: fruits, leafy vegetables, tubers, and grains.

Overall, cyanidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, and peonidin were the four

predominant anthocyanins, with either monosaccharide or disaccharide substitution and varying acylation. Leafy vegetables such as red cabbage (Brassica oleracea) were found to have the highest acylation (and generally highest stability) among all sources, followed by tubers such as sweet potato/red yam (Dioscoria alata L), red radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and black carrot {Daucus carota), then grains such as purple corn (Zea mays L), while fruits showed minor acylation. This screening phase was critical in order to ascertain the anthocyanin profiles of the various plant extracts and the different levels of acylation within the pigment configuration.

Example 2. Light stability of selected anthocyanins in the presence of a simulated beverage matrix and water-soluble botanical extracts, including rosemary {Rosmarinus officinalis) and other putative stabilizers.

[0030] For qualitative evaluation of anthocyanin content and identification, each sample was prepared at approximately 1 mg/mL in water and 1 mL of the resulting solutions was injected for analysis with HPLC/MS. For the quantitative color stability tests, about 0.20 g of each sample was dissolved in Mcllvane buffer (pH 3.0), followed by serial dilution to a final dilution of 1 :5000, and then transferred to a cuvette for peak absorbance readings between 380 and 600 nm on the Beckman Coulter Du 800 Spectrophotometer. In addition, an aliquot of sub-samples from each raw material was placed in a glass cell (CM-A97) and CIELAB parameters were taken at D65/10⁰ (illuminant and observer angle respectively). Following screening, a series of investigation were conducted on blends of select anthocyanin extracts and antioxidants in order to assess stability. The first investigation comprised of the following anthocyanin raw materials [black carrot (BC 1 ), black carrot (BC 2), cherry red sour (CRS) elderberry fruit juice (EFJ), purple corn (PC 1 ) purple corn (PC2), purple corn (PC-3), red cabbage (RC), red radish (RR) and sweet potato juice (SPJ)] and antioxidants: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); punicalagins

(pomegranate extracts); enzymatically modified isoquercitrin (EMIQ); rosemary extract; and control (no antioxidants). Each colorant was disbursed in a Mcllvaine buffer solution (pH 3.0) at 1600 color units, and then treated with the above mentioned antioxidants at 300 ppm and 0.1 % of potassium sorbate, respectively. Afterwards, samples were placed in a fluorescent light box with light intensity of -5.5 KLUX, for ~ 1 month. Absorption readings were taken at 0T and -7 day intervals. Results showed that red radish colorant that was treated with rosemary extract, consistently retained higher color values when compared to other anthocyanin formulations in similar accelerated light conditions. These studies confirmed that rosmarinic acid (rosemary extract) and red radish anthocyanins could be combined to give a surprisingly stable color formulation. The results are shown graphically in Figure 1.

Example 3. Confirming the unexpectedly large effect of rosmarinic acid on the photostability of red radish-derived anthocyanins, relative to purple corn anthocyanins.

[0031] Subsequent studies were conducted in a manner similar to that described in Example 1 ; however the light source was a Caron photostability light box, equipped with a light uniformity chamber utilizing D65 lamps and a motorized turntable. The temperature was set at 25° C and light intensity of 5.5 KLUX. The tests utilized red radish and purple corn anthocyanins, with and without rosemary extracts, dispersed in model beverage bases. Color parameters were obtained as described earlier. The results are displayed graphically in Figure 2.

Example 4. Evaluating the bathochromic shift and hyperchromic shift in red radish anthocyanin pigment compositions comprising rosmarinic acid and/or luteolin-7-O-glucoside.

[0032] In general, the instant rosemary extract comprising rosmarinic acid may contain traces of luteolin-7-O-glucoside (L7G), but can be as high as 1 part per 40 parts rosmarinic acid. Additional studies were conducted to determine whether the presence of luteolin-7-O-glucoside at these very low levels would have any hyperchromic or bathochromic impact when incorporated with red radish anthocyanins.

[0033] L7G (9.5 g of a commercial 91.5% pure sample) was dissolved in

Mcllvaine buffer (pH 3). Subsequently, a 10 g sample of red radish was blended with 400 ppm of 14.4% rosmarinic acid. Afterwards, a 5 mL sample of the L7G mixture was spiked into the red radish and rosmarinic acid blend for a final concentration of 14.8 ppm of L7G.

[0034] Then 25.7 mg of red radish only was dispersed in 50ml_ of Mcllvaine buffer (pH 3), and similarly, 25.7 mg of a red radish and rosmarinic acid blend; 25.7 mg of red radish and L7G blend were dispersed in 50ml_ of Mcllvaine buffer (pH 3).

[0035] Samples from each of the 50 mL mixtures were transferred to a cuvette for peak absorbance readings between 380 and 600 nm on the Beckman Coulter Du 800 Spectrophotometer. A visible wavelength scan was utilized to ascertain the wavelength (λ max) for maximum absorbance for each sample. The results are shown in Table 3 below.

Table 3.

[0036] The results in Table 3 demonstrate that no significant hyperchromic and bathochromic shifts of the red radish anthocyanin pigments result from the small concentration of the flavonoid luteolin-7-O-glucoside which may contaminate rosemary extract preparations. Copigmentation of anthocyanin based color results in a color shift toward a longer wavelength and a more intense color than that seen with the anthocyanin alone. The copigmentation phenomenon is not observed in the instant red radish anthocyanin based pigment compositions stabilized with an extract consisting essentially of rosmarinic acid.

Example 5. Beverage formulations.

[0037] A beverage formulation is colored with a mixture of red radish

anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid. The beverage so obtained shows improved color stability and shelf life, both in the dark and in the light, over a beverage colored with red radish anthocyanins alone.

Example 6. Liquid formulations and blends.

[0038] Several liquid materials are prepared. Liquid A is colored with red radish anthocyanins. Liquid B is colored with red cabbage anthocyanins. Liquid C is colored with a 75:25 blend of red cabbage:red radish anthocyanins. Liquid D is colored with red radish anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid is added. Liquid E is colored with red cabbage anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid is added. Liquid F is colored with a 75:25 blend of red cabbage.red radish anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid is added. Samples of each liquid are separately stored in the dark and in the light and the loss of color is monitored. Liquid F is more stable in these tests than liquid C. Liquid B is more stable in these tests than Liquid E.

Example 7. Anthocyanin blends

[0039] A liquid preparation of 25% red radish and 75% red cabbage is prepared. Further preparations also containing 200 and 400 parts per million (ppm) of rosmarinic acid are prepared, When absorbance curves are plotted using a spectrophotometer, rosmarinic acid is shown not to cause a bathochromic shift at either concentration used (Table 4). Table 4.

[0040] When the experiment is repeated using a completely different source of red radish anthocyanins, the same null bathochromic shift is observed (Table 5).

Table 5.

[0041] The combination of rosmarinic acid and anthocyanins from red radish provide a stabilizing composition that can be used to enhance the stability of anthocyanin blends, even in the case where the non-red radish anthocyanins, alone, are shown to be destabilized in the presence of rosmarinic acid.

Example 8. Anthocyanin blends - the Effect of Sugar vs. No Sugar Formulations [0042] Stock solutions of five anthocyanins (purple corn (PC), black carrot (BC), red yam (RY), red radish (RR) and red cabbage (RC) were prepared in propylene glycol at concentrations such that a 5000-fold dilution with pH 3 citric acid / sodium citrate buffer gave an absorbance of 0.1 at A_max- A stock solution of 4% rosmarinic acid in propylene glycol was also prepared. A stock solution containing rosmarinic acid (4%) and red radish anthocyanin such that a 5000-fold dilution with pH 3 citric acid / sodium citrate buffer gave an absorbance of 0.1 at λ = 512 nm was also prepared. A sweetened beverage base was prepared by dissolving 0.74% citric acid, 16.6% corn syrup and 0.02% sodium benzoate (wt./vol.) in distilled water. A non-sweetened beverage base was prepared by dissolving 0.75% citric acid and 0.25% sodium citrate (wt./vol.) in distilled water and adjusting the pH to 3 with a small amount of additional citric acid.

[0043] Stock solutions were blended according to the instructions in Table 6 to form Blended Stock Solutions.

Table 6. Blended Stock Solutions

Stock stock solution

Solutions [BC] [BC+RA] [BC+RR] [BC+RA+RR]

0.1 ml_ red 0.1 ml_ red 0.05 mL red 0.05 mL red yam stock yam stock yam stock yam stock solution solution + 0.2 solution + solution + ml_ RA stock 0.05 mL red 0.05 mL red solution radish stock radish stock solution solution +

0.15 mL RA stock solution

[ Y] [RY+RA] [RY+RR] [RY+RA+RR]

0.1 ml_ red 0.1 ml_ red 0.05 mL red 0.05 mL red cabbage stock cabbage stock cabbage stock cabbage stock solution solution + 0.2 solution + solution + mL RA stock 0.05 mL red 0.05 mL red solution radish stock radish stock solution solution +

0.15 mL RA stock solution

[RC+RA] [RC+RR] [RC+RA+RR]

[0044] Blended Stock Solutions were then diluted to 100 mL volume in either a) the sweetened beverage base or, b) the non-sweetened beverage base, generating a total of 32 samples. The samples were separated into 4 aliquots of 10 mL each and placed in scintillation vials. The scintillation vials were then placed in a Caron light box set at 4.0 KLUX under controlled temperature conditions (20 deg. C) and vials representing each Blended Stock Solution were removed periodically and analyzed spectrophotometrically to measure color loss as a function of time under light exposure. The time at which one-half of the color was lost (half-life) was calculated and is shown in Table 7.

[0045] Table 7. Half Lives of Anthocyanins in Sweetened Beverage Base or Non-sweetened Beverage Base: The Effect of Rosmarinic Acid, Red Radish Anthocyanins and a Combination of Rosmarinic Acid and Red Radish

Anthocyanins on Color Stability.

Sweetened Beverage Non-Sweetened

Base Beverage Base

Treatment Half Life in Hours Half Life in Hours

PC 242 147 PC+RA 252 221

PC+RR 367 246

PC+RR+RA 379 324

BC 470 305

BC+RA 461 497

BC+RR 491 302

BC+RR+RA 505 540

RY 628 382

RY+RA 477 576

RY+RR 412 379

RY+RR+RA 790 567

RC 663 522

RC+RA 419 589

RC+RR 438 553

RC+RR+RA 477 766

Claims

1. A color stabilized anthocyanin color composition comprising one or more anthocyanin pigments and an anthocyanin pigment stabilizing amount of a Labiatae herb extract, wherein at least one of the anthocyanin pigments is derived from Raphanus sativus (red radish).

2. The color stabilized anthocyanin color composition of claim 1 , wherein the Labiatae herb extract is an extract of Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary).

3. The anthocyanin color composition of claim 1 , wherein the Labiatae herb extract is an extract consisting essentially of rosmarinic acid.

4. The color stabilized anthocyanin color composition of claim 1 , wherein the anthocyanin pigments are derived exclusively from Raphanus sativus (red radish).

5. The anthocyanin color composition of claim 1 which does not exhibit

copigmentation.

6. The color stabilized anthocyanin color composition of claim 1 , wherein the anthocyanin color composition comprises anthocyanin pigments derived from plant sources other than Raphanus sativus.

7. The color stabilized anthocyanin color composition of claim 6, wherein the plant sources other than Raphanus sativus are selected from Tea mays L. (purple corn), Daucus carota (black carrot), Dioscoria alata (red yam) and Brassica oleracea (red cabbage).

8. A method for stabilizing an anthocyanin color composition comprising the step of intermixing at least one anthocyanin pigment derived from

Raphanus sativus (red radish) with an anthocyanin pigment stabilizing amount of a Labiatae herb extract into an anthocyanin color composition comprising one or more anthocyanin pigments.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of adding anthocyanin pigments derived from plant sources other than Raphanus sativus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plant sources other than Raphanus sativus are selected from Zea mays L. (purple corn), Daucus carota (black carrot), Dioscoria alata (red yam) and Brassica oleracea (red cabbage).

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the Labiatae herb extract is an extract consisting essentially of rosmarinic acid.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein copigmentation of the anthocyanin

pigment is not exhibited.