Water-soluble colored pigments from monascorubrin and rubropunctatin as food colorants

摘要

The orange, water-insoluble pigments monascorubrin and rubropunctatin elaborated by Monascus species can be converted to high purity red, water-soluble pigments by reaction with stoichiometric quantities of organic materials bearing a primary amine functionality or to high purity yellow, water-soluble pigments by reaction with stoichiometric quantities of organic materials having a primary amine functionality followed by reduction of the ring carbonyl moiety to a hydroxyl group. These red pigments are suitable as colorants for a broad variety of edible formulations, especially those intended for human consumption, and often serve as suitable replacements for FD&C Red No. 2 and Red No. 4. The yellow pigments are desirable food colorants which are effective at levels which impart no objectional taste to foods.