**1. Introduction**

*Lonicera caerulea* L., commonly known as blue honeysuckle, honeyberry, sweet berry honeysuckle, edible honeysuckle, haskap, haskup, hasukappu, and haskappu [1], is a shrub that can be mainly found in Russia (Peninsula of Kamchatka), northeastern Asia, and Japan, but also appears—only rarely—in Europe, the Alps, and Scandinavia [2]. Its dark blue to purple fruits were recognized by the Japanese Aborigines as the "Elixir of Life" due to the fact of its multiple therapeutic properties [3], which has led to its consumption both in fresh and processed forms, namely, in juices, cakes, jams, ice creams, and nuts. In fact, the antioxidant activity of haskap berries has been reported as comparable to that of blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, yellow hawthorn, and blackcurrant [4]. Moreover, several biological activities have been associated to this fruit, namely, protection against the incidence and mortality of cancer and ischemic heart disease, reduction in blood pressure, prevention of osteoporosis and anaemia, curative effects in gastrointestinal disorders, and aging process delay, in addition to antitumorigenic properties, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and antimutagenic properties [2,5].

Haskap fruits are mainly composed of fibre, protein, calcium, and magnesium, but also possess high concentrations of glucose and fructose, presenting traces of sucrose and sorbitol. They are a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, with considerable levels of linoleic acid [5,6], and are also recognized for their high concentration in ascorbic acid. Indeed, haskap is often called a "super fruit" because its ascorbic acid content is three to ten times higher than in blueberries, which are considered one of the richest sources of this organic acid [3,5]. Regarding phenolic compounds, these fruits are particularly rich in phenolic acids such as chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, and caffeic acids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids such as quercetin (their respective glycosides) and catechins. The richness of haskap in anthocyanin compounds has been reported in different studies, where it has been shown that the main anthocyanin of these fruit is cyanidin 3-glucoside, comprising 79–92% of its total content [5]. Other anthocyanins present in lower quantities are cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside (4.27%), cyanidin 3-rutinoside (2.07%), peonidin 3-glucoside (3.44%), and pelargonidin 3-glucoside (0.83%) [4]. Given this peculiar wealth in anthocyanin compounds, these fruit can also be considered great sources of natural colourants with a colouration range from red to purple, pink, or blue, with application in different sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, among others. With that in mind, the present study aimed to provide a complete chemical characterization (phenolic compounds, sugars, organic acids, tocopherols, and fatty acids) of haskap berries, including their nutritional value and bioactive properties (e.g., antioxidant and antimicrobial). Furthermore, it also aimed for the development of colourant formulations obtained from haskap juice and stabilized through a spray-drying technique using different stabilizing agents, which increases their affinity with different food matrices and, more importantly, their shelf life. The stability of the obtained colourants was assessed along 12 weeks of storage, with special focus on its colouring capacity (anthocyanins concentration), bioactivity, and microbiological quality.
