Optimized extraction of anthocyanins from Reid Fruits’ Prunus avium ‘Lapins’ cherries

•An optimized procedure was determined for anthocyanin extraction from sweet cherries.•The resultant anthocyanin yield was higher than has been reported previously.•Method utilises modern equipment in UPLC-MS to enable quantification of anthocyanin required for functional experiments. The influence of process parameters on the extraction of anthocyanins from the edible portion of fresh, sweet cherry were investigated. The optimal extraction time and temperature were determined as 90 min and 37 °C, respectively. A solvent/solid ratio of 10 mL/g using 100% acidified solvent resulted in the greatest anthocyanin yield. No significant difference was observed between the use of methanol or ethanol as the extraction solvent. Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-MS analysis of the extract identified four anthocyanins, with cyanidin-3-rutinoside and peonidin-3-rutinoside accounting for over 95% of the anthocyanin content, while cyanidin-3-glucoside and pelargonidin-3-rutinoside accounted for the remaining 5%. 244 mg/100 g fresh weight total anthocyanins were determined in the fresh cherries using the optimal extraction conditions.