Application of annatto dye formulations in different fruit and vegetable products

The orange-yellow colour extracted from annatto (
Bixa orellana
L.) seeds is
mainly used as a food colourant. Spray-dried water-soluble and acid-stable
annatto dye formulations were used to colour the fruit and vegetable products
such as lime squash, orange squash, mixed fruit jam and tooty-fruity
(papaya candy). Spray-dried acid-stable annatto (ASA) dye formulation has
shown more stability than the spray-dried water-soluble annatto (WSA) dye
formulation during the 180 days of storage period in lime and orange
squashes. The levels of norbixin concentrations in different fruit and vegetable
products were standardised as 12.5 (lime squash); 50 (orange squash);
150 (mixed fruit jam) and 50–100 mg/kg (tooty-fruity). In the case of tootyfruity,
only 36% norbixin was observed to penetrate into the fruit matrix
irrespective of the concentration of the norbixin present in the sugar syrup
during processing. The ASA dye formulation was not exempt from degradation
of norbixin formulation, but has shown good compatibility by preventing
the precipitation of the dye during storage in the high-acidic products of
lime and orange squashes stored in transparent glass bottles. The WSA dye
formulation has shown good compatibility and stability in products like jams
and tooty-fruity during the storage period.