Stability of curcumin, a natural yellow colourant during processing and storage of fruit bread.

Curcumin added as a solution in Propylene Glycol (PG)
at 24 ppm on flour basis imparted an acceptable light
yellow colour to fruit bread containing ginger candy. The
visual yellowness was comparable to that of tartrazine
added at 47 ppm on flour basis. After undergoing the
processing stages of dough mixing, fermentation and
baking, retention of curcumin (84%) was comparable to
that of tartrazine (85%). On analysis, the concentration
of curcumin and tartrazine were 12 ppm and 22 ppm
respectively. Addition of curcumin as a fine powder at
the level of 25 ppm on flour basis during the dough mixing
step, resulted in a bread with reduced yellowness
(curcumin retention (73.6%), but the use of PG is
avoided. There was no appreciable loss of colour after
storage for three days at ambient conditions (curcumin
retention 71%). Curcumin is a promising safe natural
yellow colourant for fruit bread.