Anthocyanins from Purple Black Carrot (Daucus carota L.) Act as Effective Natural Food Bio-colorant and Real Time Indicators of Food Spoilage

By : Khalid Z. Masoodi , Minu B. Balkhi , Rovidha S. Rasool , Farheena Shah , Sanjana Kaul , Manoj K. Dhar

Page No: 115-120

Abstract
Synthetic food colours pose a greater threat to humans and are responsible for causing various types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Purple black (PB) carrot anthocyanins extract showed different colours at different pH and hence can be used as alternatives to synthetic food colours. PB carrot anthocyanins show red colour in acids and greenish colour in basic solutions. The “colorimetric change” noted with the PB carrot extract is due to gain or loss of a proton (H+), by the pigments present in the extract mainly anthocyanins. This seemingly minor change is sufficient to alter the wavelengths at which the indicator absorbs and reflects light. This change in colour property of PB carrot anthocyanins can be exploited to detect real time food spoilage caused by various pathogens. We concluded that PB carrot is a rich source of dietary anthocyanins which can be used as food colorants and also as real time food spoilage indicators.

Authors :
Khalid Z. Masoodi, Farheena Shah : Transcriptomics Laboratory, Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar, J&K, India, 190025
Minu B. Balkhi : Department of Biochemistry, GHHS Mirgund, J&K State Govt, J&K, India 190001.
Rovidha S. Rasool : Division of Pathology, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar, J&K, India, 190025
Sanjana Kaul and Manoj K. Dhar : School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, 180006, India