VINA C.

YU

BSFT-3

EXPERIMENT 1. CHARACTERISTICS OF PIGMENTS

Objective: To determine the properties of vegetable pigments.

Review of Related Literature:

1. WEATHER VARIABILITY INFLUENCES COLOR AND PHENOLIC CONTENT OF

PIGMENTED BABY LEAF LETTUCES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON

Reference: J. Agric. Food Chem., 2015, 63 (6), pp 16731681

Summary: The lack of consistency in homogeneous color throughout the season of pigmented
baby leaf lettuce is a problem for growers because of the rejection of the product and
consequently the economic loss. Changes in color as well as individual and total phenolic
composition and content as a response to the climatic variables were studied following the
analysis of three pigmented baby leaf lettuces over 16 consecutive weeks from February to
May, which corresponded to the most important production season in winter in Europe. Color
and phenolic content were significantly (P 0.001) affected by cultivar, harvest week, and
climatic variables that occurred in the last week before harvest. Radiation and temperature
showed positive correlations with the content of phenolic acids and flavonoids that increased in
all three cultivars as the season progressed. Cyanidin-3-O-(6-O-malonyl)-glucoside content
showed positive correlations with temperature and radiation but only in Batavia cultivars
whereas in red oak leaf the correlation was with cold temperatures. Regarding hue angle, a
positive correlation was shown with the number of hours at temperatures lower than 7 C. A
relationship between hue angle and the content of anthocyanins was not possible to establish.
These results suggest that the colorimetric measurement of color cannot be used as a good
indicator of anthocyanin accumulation because other pigments such as chlorophylls and
carotenoids may contribute as well to the leaf color of pigmented lettuce. This study provides
information about the impact of genotype and environment interactions on the biosynthesis of
phenolic compounds to explain the variability in the leaf color and product appearance.

2. FUNCTIONS OF NATURAL PIGMENTS ON GASTRIC ULCER AND CANCER

Reference: Hyo Ihl Chang & Sun-Joong Kim (2015), ScientificTracks Abstracts: J Tissue Sci
Eng, DOI: 10.4172/2157-7552.S1.021

Summary: The natural pigments have many applications in inflammatory, and oxidative related
damage as well as in cancer chemotherapy. Recently, precise cellular roles of natural pigments,
such as modulator of key cellular signaling pathway on variety diseases, are elucidated. On
based on antioxidant, anthocyanins reduced naproxen-induced gastric ulcer. Anthocyanins
reduced the level of lipid peroxidation and increased the level of the antioxidant enzymes.
Anthocyanins increased the expression of Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) which is
trans activator for cellular defense genes. Interestingly, anthocyanins induced
gastrointestinalglutathione peroxidase expression via Nrf2 that bind to regions of antioxidant
response element (ARE) in GI-GPX promoter. Otherwise, Shikonin, and genipin stimulates
production reactive oxygen species (ROS) in gastric cancer cells. They induced apoptotic cell
death in gastric cancer cells in a caspase dependent manner. They also induced cell cycle
arrest at G2/M phase via regulation of p21by early growth response1 (Egr1). The p21 contains
promoter region of Egr1 binding motif. Transient expression of Egr1 in AGS cells enhanced
shikonin and genipin-induced p21 promoter activity, whereas suppression of Egr1 expression by
small interfering RNA attenuated the ability of shikonin and genipin induced p21 promoter
activity. Anthocyanins improve gastric ulceration through Nrf2 associated with antioxidant
enzymes, such as GI-Gpx pathways. And, shikonin and genipin induced cell damage in AGS
cells through the Egr1/p21 pathways.

3. ENHANCING THE COLOR INTENSITY OF STRAWBERRY NECTARS BY VARIOUS CO-

PIGMENTS AND SWEETENERS

Reference: Meltem Turkyilmaz, Kubra Ertan, & Mehmet Ozkan (2015), Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J
Food Process Technol, DOI: 10.4172/2157-7110.S1.024

Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of water extracts from various co-
pigment sources (sour cherry stem, cherry stem, pomegranate rind and rose petal) and various
sweeteners (sucrose, honey and maltose syrup) on color intensity (CI) of strawberry nectars.
Strawberry nectar containing no co-pigment/sweetener was evaluated as control group.
Moreover, gallic acid known as one of the strongest co-pigments was also added to strawberry
nectar and its effect was compared with those of the other co-pigment sources. The ratio of co-
pigments to anthocyanins in the nectars was 10:1 (w/w) and the temperature was at 20C. The
co-pigmentation effects in the products were determined by taking into consideration of
hyperchromic (color intensity, Amax) and bathochromic (maximum wavelength, max) shifts.
Surprisingly, rose petal extract had higher (6%) co-pigmentation effect than gallic acid. However,
significant reductions in CI of the nectars were determined after addition of cherry stem (6%)
and pomegranate rind (3%) extracts. While the highest CI was determined in the nectars
containing maltose, honey showed reducing effect (up to 5%) on CI. The combination of co-
pigment extracts and sweeteners showed both synergistic and antagonistic effects on CI.
Therefore, the combination should be carefully chosen. If the nectars containing gallic acid, sour
cherry stem and cherry stem extracts will be produced, maltose should be used as a sweetener.
Similarly using maltose in control group also increased CI. However, if the nectars containing
rose petal and pomegranate rind extracts will be produced, sucrose should be used

Procedure: Prepare the vegetables in the manner you are familiar with and divide them into
four portions. Place each portion (5g) in individual beakers and add enough water to cover. Add
to the two beakers 0.8g citric acid and 0.2g baking soda, respectively. Heat to boiling the 3
treated samples and keep boiling for 2 minutes. Cool. Examine the solution and the color of the
vegetables. Describe what happens.