University "Lucian Blaga" of Sibiu, Romania - Rectorat

RESEARCH ON ANTHOCYANIN BIOACTIVES FROM FOOD PLANTS, AS USEFUL TOOLS FOR STABILIZATION OF POLYUNSATURATED EDIBLE OILS AND FOR OBTAINING ECO-TEXTILES

CERCETARI PRIVIND COMPUSII BIOACTIVI ANTOCIANICI DIN PLANTE ALIMENTARE, RELEVANTE PENTRU STABILIZAREA LIPIDELOR POLINESATURATE SI PENTRU OBTINEREA DE ECO-TEXTILE

Program: PN-II-ID-PCE

Project code: PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0474

Project contract: No. 333/5/10/2011

Duration: 3 years

Contracting authority: UEFISCDI (Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding)

Project leader: Professor Simona OANCEA, PhD / profile address http://www.researcherid.com/rid/D-4541-2013

Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Food Industry and Environmental Protection "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, Romania

Summary of the project: Anthocyanins are dietary bioactive molecules which belong to the class of flavonoid compounds responsible for health promoting benefits, in particular being effective in preventing chronic diseases and cancer.

The project aims to superior utilization of food plants from Romanian area to obtain bioactive anthocyanin extracts useful for multi-target purposes, such as improving stabilization of edible/dietary oils and application as natural dyes in eco-textiles. The research project proposes: selective extraction of anthocyanins from identified plant sources, determination of total concentration of these biomolecules from fresh raw materials, as well as after storage conditions (freezing, drying) and processing (preparation of jams), testing in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts, evaluation of inhibition of lipoperoxidation by anthocyanin crude extracts through their incorporation in lipid systems (edible/dietary oils) in order to obtain improved quality foods, and research activities regarding application of the obtained natural extracts of anthocyanin pigments in textile technology as an environmentally friendly alternative to the use of synthetic dyes.