Purple Corn Extract 10–25% Anthocyanins

Purple corn extract is prepared from the pigmented kernels of Zea mays, the Andean purple maize, and not from yellow or white field corn, from corn silk or from sweet corn. Ethanol extraction concentrates the anthocyanins of the kernel’s outer layer, and the liquor is dried to a purple-red, water-soluble powder.

The primary grade is 25% anthocyanins by UV using the pH differential method, with 10% as the lower end of the range. The powder is 80 mesh. The 25% grade serves capsules and drink sticks with a small fill, while the 10% grade suits beverage bases, gummy premixes and blends in which color is wanted at a higher gram dose.

SKU: BOT-STX-0081 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Anthocyanins, Corn, Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Polyphenols, Seed & Grain, Standardized Extracts

Anthocyanin Standardization & Grades

Anthocyanins are the water-soluble pigments behind red, purple and blue colors in plants. Purple corn is a rich and distinctive source: cyanidin-3-glucoside dominates, accompanied by pelargonidin and peonidin glucosides and, characteristically, by their malonylated forms, in which an acid group is attached to the sugar. The page standardizes to the summed anthocyanin class, because the kernel carries many related pigments. The botanical entity is Zea mays L., and the part used is the pigmented kernel.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
10% Anthocyanins	UV (pH differential)	Beverage bases and gummy premixes
25% Anthocyanins	UV (pH differential)	Capsules and drink sticks with small fill

Choose the grade by dose, pigment strength and capsule fill. The 25% grade holds two and a half times the pigment load per gram of the 10% grade, so it reaches a target with a smaller fill and colors a base intensely at low inclusion. The 10% grade keeps more of the kernel sugars and phenolic acids and is slightly sweeter and less intense. Siblings of the same crop are the unstandardized Purple Corn Extract Powder, the milled Purple Corn Powder and the plain Corn Powder.

Buyers who compare purple corn extract quotes should check the type of corn before the percentage. Yellow and white maize contain no anthocyanins and carry carotenoids or none, so only pigmented varieties can meet an anthocyanin grade. A named variety, the kernel as the stated part and a clear method are the items that make an anthocyanin figure comparable.

Anthocyanin Analysis & Purity Risks

UV with the pH differential method is the assay for both grades. The sample is read at two pH values, one strongly acidic and one near pH 4.5, and the difference in absorbance at the pigment maximum counts the monomeric anthocyanins that change color with pH. The result is usually expressed as an equivalent of a reference pigment such as cyanidin-3-glucoside, so the reference should be named when quotes are compared.

The acylation of purple corn pigments matters for the method. Malonylated anthocyanins respond somewhat differently from the plain glucosides, and their malonyl group can be lost during extraction or storage, so a lot that has been through alkaline conditions or long storage shows a shift from acylated to plain pigments. An HPLC profile shows this clearly, while the UV total does not, and the two measurements are not interchangeable.

The fingerprint of purple corn shows cyanidin-3-glucoside and its malonyl derivative as the main peaks, with peonidin and pelargonidin forms as smaller neighbors. A profile in which acylated peaks are missing suggests aged or harshly processed material, and one with only a single pigment points to a different source.

Purity risks follow from the raw material. Black rice, black carrot, bilberry and purple sweet potato extracts carry similar pigments and read alike in a UV test, so the figure alone does not prove that the source is corn. A named species, the kernel as the stated part and a chromatographic fingerprint protect identity better than a percentage.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Zea mays
Plant Part	Seed & Grain
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Anthocyanins, Flavonoids, Polyphenols
Common Name	Purple Corn, Purple Maize, Maíz Morado
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Anthocyanins (mainly cyanidin-3-glucoside and its acylated forms in pigmented Zea mays kernels)
Primary Grade	25% Anthocyanins (UV, pH differential)
Available Grades	10% · 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 Compact Capsules

At 25%, the grade reaches a pigment target with a very small capsule fill. The purple-red powder is hygroscopic and stains hands and equipment, so use a dry filling room and dedicated scoops, and check fill weight at the start of each run.

25% Grade in Drink Sticks

Because the powder is water soluble, the high grade dissolves in one stir into an intensely colored solution that is red in acid and violet near neutral. Add citric acid to hold the shade, and expect a small stick dose to color a full glass.

10% Grade for Beverage Bases

Beverage bases suit the lower grade, because acylated anthocyanins are comparatively stable and give a deep red at low pH. Add the powder late, keep pasteurization short and protect the finished drink from light, since all anthocyanins fade under strong illumination.

10% Grade for Gummy Premixes

Gummies can carry the lower grade added after the cook, which protects the pigment from long heat. Pectin gels with a low pH keep the color red, while starch-based gels near neutral pH turn bluish and dull, so set the acid level before choosing the pigment dose.

25% Grade in Dry Blend Colorants

Dry mixes of sports and drink powders use the high grade as a natural red-violet color at very low inclusion. Pre-mix it with a bulking agent to avoid speckles, and run a blend uniformity test, since a small amount of intense powder shows uneven mixing at once.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a purple-red powder with a faint grainy, slightly fruity odor and a mildly astringent taste. It is water soluble, so it forms a deeply colored solution whose shade depends on pH: red in strong acid, violet around pH 5 to 6 and bluish in alkaline conditions. At intermediate pH the color pales, because the pigment forms a colorless hemiketal that returns to color on acidification.

Heat, light, oxygen and ascorbic acid degrade anthocyanins, and iron or aluminum ions dull the color. Use stainless steel, add the purple corn extract late in the process and keep pasteurization short. At production scale, sieve the powder before dosing, since it cakes in humid rooms, and pre-mix it with a portion of the carrier.

Clean-down is a practical issue because the pigment stains and dried residue is hard to remove. Rinse mixers and hoppers promptly, use a dedicated scale and scoop for this powder, and compare each lot with a retained sample for color and flow. Keep the drum closed, cool and dry, and record the date it was opened.

A purple corn extract is checked by color in dilute acid, where a deep red indicates intact acylated anthocyanins. A brownish or dull tone suggests degradation, and a pale tone suggests dilution. Keep a retained sample of every purple corn extract lot, and use an HPLC profile to confirm that cyanidin-3-glucoside and its malonylated form are both present.

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.