Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2003, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (03): 336-341.

• 研究论文 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Extraction and Tests on Stability of Red Pigment from Melastoma affine

SU Yan-Ping CHEN Zheng-Bin ZHANG Liang CHEN Bing-Hua LIU Jian-Qiu   

  1. (Bioengineering College, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007)
  • Received:2002-10-10 Revised:2002-12-30 Online:2003-06-20 Published:2003-06-20
  • Contact: SU Yan-Ping

Abstract: The paper reports the preliminary study on the feasibility of red pigment of Melastoma affine being used as a new type of natural food pigment. It was tested that the effects of light, temperature, pH value, oxide-reducing medium, 7 kinds of metal ions, and 3 kinds of food additives on stability of the pigment. The results showed that the pigment belongs to water-soluble anothocyanins. It is stable below 60 ℃ and pH<6 but sensitive to light intensity and oxidant. Fe3+, Cu2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ evidently degrade the pigment, but Na+,Mg2+, Al3+, glucose, sucrose and sodium benzoate have no harmful effect on it.