Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanins

Bilberry extract is prepared from the ripe berry of Vaccinium myrtillus, the wild European blueberry, and not from the leaves or from the cultivated American blueberry. Ethanol extraction takes up the pigments of the fruit, and the liquor is dried to a purple red powder.

The grade is 25% anthocyanins by UV with the pH differential method. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. A single grade is supplied, which suits capsules, tablets, drink powders and gummies that need a defined pigment load and a deep red-purple color.

SKU: BOT-STX-0022 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Anthocyanins, Bars & Bakery, Bilberry, Ethanol Extracted, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Polyphenols, Standardized Extracts

Anthocyanin Standardization & Grades

Anthocyanins are the water-soluble pigments that give the berry its blue-purple color. Bilberry carries about fifteen of them, mainly glycosides of delphinidin and cyanidin with glucose, galactose or arabinose as the sugar, and the pigment is spread through the flesh of the berry, not only the skin. The grade reports the total monomeric anthocyanin content, and it is the standardization target because it defines the color strength and the polyphenol profile that buyers compare. Bilberry extract at 25% is therefore a pigment concentrate, and the percentage describes the colored fraction only. The botanical entity is Vaccinium myrtillus L., and the part used is the ripe berry.

The grade is a single level at 25%, so the choice is between bilberry and other berries, not between tiers. Cultivated highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum, carries the same families of pigments in different proportions and at lower levels, and it is supplied separately as the Blueberry Extract 10–25% Anthocyanins. Other bilberry and berry materials in the range include the Berry Anthocyanin Extract 10–25% Anthocyanins, the Lingonberry Extract 10–25% Anthocyanins, which comes from a different species, and the 10:1 Bilberry Extract Powder, which has no marker figure.

Anthocyanin Analysis & Purity Risks

The anthocyanin figure is measured by UV with the pH differential method. The sample is read at two pH values, one at which the pigment is colored and one at which it is colorless, and the difference in absorbance is converted to an amount on a stated reference pigment. This counts monomeric anthocyanins only. Polymeric and degraded pigments are not counted, and the figure cannot be converted into an HPLC result for individual anthocyanins.

HPLC is used beside the UV result to show the pattern of individual pigments. A bilberry chromatogram has a wide spread of delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin and malvidin glycosides, and the relative sizes of these peaks identify the species. Cultivated blueberries shift the balance toward malvidin and petunidin forms, so the pigment profile is a better check of identity than the UV total alone.

Purity risks are botanical and chemical. The common names bilberry, huckleberry and blueberry refer to different plants in different markets, and a fixed species, a fixed part and the pigment pattern are the first checks. Anthocyanins also change with pH, light and heat, so a lot that has been stored warm can show a lower UV figure and a duller color without any change in the plant source. The reference pigment matters as much as the method. Anthocyanin values are reported as equivalents of a single reference pigment, and a different molar mass or extinction coefficient gives a different percentage for the same extract. A comparison between two bilberry offers is valid only when both use the same reference.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Vaccinium myrtillus
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, Polyphenols
Common Name	Bilberry, European Blueberry
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Anthocyanins (glycosides of delphinidin, cyanidin and related anthocyanidins)
Primary Grade	25% Anthocyanins (UV, pH differential)
Appearance	Purple Red powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Applications by Grade

25% Grade for Capsules and Tablets

The single grade fills capsules and tablets with a defined pigment load. The purple red powder is water soluble and hygroscopic, so fill in a dry room, and use a desiccant and an opaque bottle to limit moisture and light.

Red-Purple Powder for Drink Mixes

Bilberry extract dissolves in water to a deep red solution. Acidic drinks keep the red-pink shade, while a neutral or alkaline base shifts it toward blue-gray, so set the pH of the drink and test the color through shelf life.

Anthocyanin Powder for Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes use the powder for color and for a defined pigment load. Add it after the main cook, since long heating bleaches anthocyanins, and keep the pH low enough to hold a red tone in the finished gel. Check the color again after a month of storage.

Berry Extract in Stick Packs

Stick packs carry the powder with a flow agent and an acid such as citric acid, which stabilizes the red color. Seal the packs in light- and moisture-barrier film to prevent clumping and fading at the seal.

Berry Extract in Effervescent Tablets

Effervescent tablets work with a water-soluble pigment, and the acid component of the tablet helps hold the color. Avoid contact with iron and copper in processing, which can shift anthocyanins to a dull violet, and keep the water used for dissolution low in metal ions.

Berry Extract in Bar Premixes

Bar premixes use the extract in small amounts for color and berry character. Blend it into the dry fraction before the binder, because wet contact with an alkaline base turns streaks of the red-purple powder blue-green.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a purple red powder with a faint fruity odor and a sour, astringent taste. It is water soluble, and solutions are red at low pH and shift to violet and blue as the pH rises. Anthocyanins are sensitive to heat, light, oxygen and metal ions, so bilberry extract fades in clear packs and in systems that are held hot for long periods.

For production, keep the powder in a sealed liner, away from light and heat, and control humidity in weighing and filling because the sugars and acids make the powder hygroscopic. Sieve before blending to break up soft lumps, and pre-blend the powder with a portion of the carrier to avoid color streaks. Stainless steel and glass contact surfaces are preferred over iron and copper. In protein-rich bases such as milk drinks, the pigments and tannins of bilberry extract can bind protein and cloud the product, so run a stability trial in the real base.

In liquid systems, add the powder under agitation to a base that has already been adjusted to the target pH, and add antioxidants only where they are compatible with the formula. Compare each lot with a retained sample for color, pH response and the anthocyanin pattern in the chromatogram, and clean the line after a run, since the pigment stains mixers and hoppers.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.