새로운 식용 적색색소자원을 개발하기 위하여 버찌의 anthocyanin색소를 ethanol 추출하여 광선, 온도, 유기산, 금속이온 및 pH에 의한 영향을 검토하였다. 본 색소는 광선에 안정하여 20일 까지도 69%의 색소잔존율을 나타내었고 광선 차단용 포장재를 사용 시 상당한 색소잔존효과를 나타내었다. 본 색소는 열에 대단히 안정하여 $115^{circ}C$에서 30분까지 64%의 색소잔존율을 나타내었다. $25^{circ}C$의 암소조건에서 첨가된 유기산에 의해서는 색소의 농색화효과가 높게 나타났으며, $25^{circ}C$의 암소조건에서 첨가된 금속이온에 의해서는 $Na^+,;K^+,;Mg^{2+},;Ca^{2+}$ 및 $Mn^{2+}$에 의해서는 20일까지 안정하였고, $Cu^{2+}$와 $Fe^{3+}$에 의해서는 심각한 안정성 저해를 나타냈으며, $Al^{3+}$에 의해서는 자색으로 전환되었다. pH가 낮을수록 색소의 농색화효과가 높았다. 이로 미루어 본 색소는 대단히 우수한 식용 적색색소자원임을 알 수 있었다.
The characteristics of anthocyanin pigments extracted from cherry(Prunus serrulata L. var. spontanea Max. Wils.) were investigated at the various conditions, such as light, temperature, organic acid, metal ion and pH. The pigments were fairly stable under the sunlight during the 20 days storage period at room temperature. The pigments covered with the Al-foil, as well as red, blue, green and yellow films, were very stable at pH 2.5. The high thermal stability (over the 64% at $115^{circ}C$, 30 min) of the pigments in the dark at pH 2.5 was also found. In the presence of organic acid, the hyperchromic effect of red color was greatly increased in the dark at $25^{circ}C$. Addition of metal ion, such as $Na^+,;K^+,;Mg^{2+},;Ca^{2+};and;Mn^{2+}$, was contributed on the stability in color at pH 2.5 throughout 20 days storage period in the dark at $25^{circ}C$. However, $Cu^{2+};and;Fe^{3+}$ caused the rapidly degradation of pigments, and $Al^{3+}$ converted red color to blueish violet. The hyperchromic effect of the red color increased, as pH decreased. Therefore, these results indicated that cherry anthocyanin pigments might be used as the potential sources of natural red colorant for foods.
