Use of Yellow Pigment Extracted from Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) Rhizomes Powder as Natural Food Preservative

Abstract

The objective of this study was to extract yellow pigment from powder turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizomes and to evaluate the preservative/antioxidant activity of oil-soluble yellow pigment at concentrations 0.5, 0.1 and 0.2% (w/w) in soybean oil after accelerated oxidation at for 7 days. Soy bean oil free from antioxidant (control) and with 0.02% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (synthetic antioxidant) were used to control. In addition, the effects of combined treatment of water-soluble yellow pigment at ratio 3% (w/w) and gamma irradiation at dose levels of 1, 3 and 5 kGy on the microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics of chicken breast fillet samples during cold storage (4 ± ) to extend the shelf-life of chicken breast fillets were investigated. The results revealed that the addition of 0.2% oil-soluble yellow pigment caused detectable increments in the oxidative stability of soy bean oil compared with control and other treatments under investigation. The results showed that the ratio of 3% of water-soluble yellow pigment reduced the total bacterial count, Psychrophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, enterobacteriaceae, total molds and yeasts, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Enterococccus faecalis and Salmonella spp, was not detected in all treated samples. Also, shelf-life periods were increased up to 39 days for chicken breast fillet samples treated by 3% water-soluble yellow pigment and gamma radiation at dose level of 5 kGy. Thus, these results illustrate that yellow pigment extracted from turmeric rhizomes exhibit strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Therefore the use of these yellow pigment extracts in food is recommended to suppress lipid oxidation and may be useful as natural food colorant and preservative and an alternative to synthetic dyes that are harmful to health.