Blueberry and grape anthocyanins as breakfast cereal colorants

Fruit anthocyanins provide color and health benefits, thus cereals containing these pigments could be used as functional foods. White corn meal with 10% sucrose was twin-screw extruded with either corn syrup, lowbush blueberry concentrate, or Concord grape-juice concentrate. Extrusion reduced anthocyanins, but there was no change due to storage at room temperature for 3 mo. Polymeric color was higher in the blueberry cereal. The grape cereal was lighter and less red than the blueberry product. Bulk density was highest in the corn-syrup cereal. Overall acceptability was higher for the syrup and grape cereals. Sweetness and flavor acceptability were correlated with overall liking.