Red pigment formation by the reaction of oxidized ascorbic acid and protein in a food model system of low moisture content.

Abstract

Ascorbic acid-protein mixtures of low moisture content stored for 2-3 days in aerobic conditions at 60°C produced a red coloration, which was shown to have resulted from an amino-carbonyl reaction of oxidized ascorbic acid (dehydroascorbic acid, DHA) by the facts that DHA-casein or ovalbumin systems yielded a rapid red coloration in low moisture conditions as well as in an ethanol suspension. Zein showed only a weak red coloration with DHA. An apparent decrease in the free amino group, as determined by the TNBS method, was observed to be associated in parallel with the red pigment formation. The electrophoretic pattern of ovalbumin changed significantly upon incubation with DHA, together with the formation of the red pigment. The red pigment extracted from a DHA-casein system showed an absorption spectrum, TLC Rf value, and hydrolyzed products (DHA and scorbamic acid) identical to those of 2, 2'-nitrilo di-2(2)-deoxy-L-ascorbic acid mono ammonium salt, produced from DHA and amino acid. Formation of the red pigment was also observed in the reaction of DHA with Nα-acetyl lysine. These results indicate that the ε-amino group of lysine in protein can be attributed to the formation of a red pigment identical with NDA.