Stability Of Pigments Research Articles

Effects of different storage conditions on edible quality and antioxidant activity of Polygonatum cyrtonema flowers

The flower of Polygonatum cyrtonema has good edible and medicinal values. In this study, four samples of P. cyrtonema flowers from different regions were selected as test materials. The contents, composition and antioxidant activities of lipid-soluble pigments and alcohol-soluble components were determined under different light and temperature conditions, which help to reveal the discoloration reason and the composition variation patterns during storage. The results showed that light and temperature had different effects on the lipid-soluble pigments and alcohol-soluble components in the dried flowers during storage. After storage for 4 weeks, the contents of total chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenols and saponins in the samples exposed to light respectively decreased by 62.62%, 66.4%, 68.7% and 43.4% compared with those in the dark. The decreases in the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, lutein, β-carotene and zeaxanthin were 64.64%, 56.74%, 59.2%, 77.7% and 45.4%, respectively. The contents of pigments and components in the samples stored at-20 ℃ were significantly higher than those at room temperature and 4 ℃, indicating that low temperature was conductive to the stability of lipid-soluble pigments and alcohol-soluble components. The samples stored at low temperature and in the dark had the strongest free radical scavenging activity. The results suggest that P. cyrtonema dried flowers should be stored in low temperature environment without light, which can slow down the degradation of internal components. The study provides a theoretical basis for the production, processing and storage of P. cyrtonema flowers.

FORMULASI BLUSH ON STICK DENGAN ZAT PEWARNA ALAMI EKSTRAK KERING BUAH NAGA MERAH (HYLOCEREUS POLYRHIZUS L.)

Blush On is a cosmetic preparation that applies color to the cheek with an artistic touch so that it it can enhance the aesthetics of Make up. One of the natural ingridients that can used as a dye is Red Dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus L.) because they contain the pigments betasianin that function as a color pigment. The Purpose of this study was to determine wheter the dry extract of red dragon fruit can be use as dye in blush on stick form and to evaluate the blush on form.The Blush on formula made using dyes from the dry extract of red dragon fruit with different concentration of 0%, 10%, 15% and 20% with additional ingridients of glycerin, zinc oxide, lanolin, isopropyl myristate, sodium metabisulfite, carnauba wax, talc and oleum rosae. The evaluation of product included organoleptic test, homogeneity test, pigment stability test, sotarge stability test, pH test, polish test, crack test, hedonic test and irritation test. All formulas have met the requirements of the homogeneity test, pH test, polish test and crack test. Organoleptic test showed the blush preparation has the specific odor of oleum rosae and the the blush has a solid stick. The blush with a concentration of 0% is white, the blush with a concentration of 10% is pink, the blush with a concentration of 15% is light purplish red, the blush with a concentration of 20% is dark purplish red. For F1 (10%), F2 (15%) and F3 (20%) preparations were only stable until week 5 and were unstable to light. The result of the irritation test showed that the blush preparation did not show any irritation reactions. The result of the hedonic test showed that F3 (20%) was the most preferred by the panelists

The Potential of Flos sophorae immaturus as a Pigment-Stabilizer to Improve the Monascus Pigments Preservation, Flavor Profiles, and Sensory Characteristic of Hong Qu Huangjiu.

Hong Qu Huangjiu (HQW) is distinguished by its inclusion of Monascus pigments, meaning that photosensitivity strongly affects the sensory quality of the wine. In this study, the effects of Flos sophorae immaturus (FSI) on the stability of Monascus pigments, the flavor profiles, and the sensory characteristics of HQW were investigated. After sterilization, the addition of FSI increased the preservation rate of Monascus pigments in HQW by up to 93.20%, which could be accounted for by the synergy of rutin and quercetin in FSI. The total content of the volatile flavor compounds in HQW increased significantly as the added amounts of FSI were increased, especially 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, and short-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (SCFAEE). Sensory evaluation and partial least-squares regression revealed that the concentration of FSI significantly affected the aroma characteristics of HQW but had little effect on the mouthfeel. The addition of 0.9 mg/mL FSI yielded a satisfactory HQW with high scores in terms of mouthfeel and aroma. The strong correlation between fruit-aroma, full-body, and SCFAEE suggests that FSI might alter the aroma of HQW by enhancing the synthesis of SCFAEE. Summarily, treatment with FSI represents a new strategy for improving the stability of photosensitive pigments and thus adjusting the aroma of HQW or similar beverages.

Thermodynamic stability of gilded copper and pigments at high relative humidity and at environmental conditions of Lima, Perú

Cultural heritage materials are affected by diverse environmental agents such as humidity, temperature, and pollution. This work focuses on studying the thermodynamic stability of Peruvian heritage materials such as gilded coppers and pigments within two scenarios: one under ambient conditions and the other under accelerated conditions established by the ASTM D 2247 standard. In both cases, the HSC Chemistry 6 software was implemented. The general results obtained for gilded coppers showed that by varying the relative humidity from 75% and 14 °C to 80% and 26 °C, the corrosion products move from CuO to Cu(OH) 2. In addition, to Cu2Cl(OH)3 -atacamite- in the presence of chlorin. On the other hand, for hematite (Fe 3O 2), vermilion (HgS), and Minium (Pb 3O 4) pigments, we found that at ambient conditions, with NO 2 and SO 2, they give rise to goethite (FeO(OH)), mercury sulfate (HgSO 4) and lead nitrate (Pb(NO) 3), respectively. These changes also modify the natural colour of pigments, where goethite gives rise to a brownish red, mercury sulfate is colorless and lead nitrate is white. This paper is a quick theoretical way to understand how cultural heritage materials can physically degrade. Future experiment trials will contribute to set strategies towards the correct management of these heritage collections.

Preparation of alkali-resistant aluminum pigment encapsulated with fluoropolymer by in situ polymerization

Flaky aluminum pigments with excellent corrosion resistance have found applications in diverse fields. In this study, a fluoropolymer has been incorporated in the aluminum pigment to effectively enhance its corrosion resistance, along with the improvement in the chemical resistance and thermal stability. Specifically, a uniform dense layer of poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PTFEMA) has been directly coated on the surface of the flaky aluminum pigment by in situ polymerization. The encapsulated aluminum pigment exhibited high stability upon dipping in the alkaline solution (pH = 13) due to protection imparted by the fluoropolymer layer. The morphology of the fluoropolymer layer on the surface of the aluminum pigment was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the thermal stability of the encapsulated aluminum pigment was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The structure and composition of the fluoropolymer layer were further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stability of the aluminum pigment in alkaline aqueous media was investigated via hydrogen evolution experiments. Overall, the corrosion resistance of the aluminum pigment encapsulated with fluoropolymer was observed to be markedly improved owing to the presence of the PTFEMA layer.

Stability and Toxicity Test of Angkak Pigment Powder from Sago Hampas- Rice Flour Substrate as Natural Dyes

Sago hampas is waste from processing sago starch. Sago hampas is generally thrown away without any further treatment. Sago hampas contain nutrients that can be used as a substrate for fermentation of angkak. The study aims to determine the stability and toxicity of angkak pigment powder from sago hampas-rice flour substrate. The study used exploratory research design through experiments in the laboratory. This study used the UV-vis spectrophotometer method in observing the stability of the Angkak powder pigment and the brine shrimps method of angkak pigment powder toxicity test. The results showed that the level of solubility of angkak pigment powder will increase at higher temperatures. Stability of angkak pigment powder tends to decrease with longer heating, the higher of heating temperature and the longer of irradiation. Angkak pigment powder are more stable at neutral and alkaline pH compared with acidic pH. And it is not toxic to experimental animals with LC50 value of angkak pigment powder of 2,897.05 ppm. The conclusion of this study is that temperature affects the intensity of the angkak pigment. Angkak is unstable along with heating time, heating temperature and longer of irradiation.

Hybrid Pigments from Bixin Dye and Inorganic Matrices

Annatto dye is a natural organic dye belonging to carotenoids, whose main components are bixin and norbixin. Due to its low stability, it is convenient to protect the dye molecules with other materials. The use of clay minerals is an alternative, which are phyllosilicates with attractive physico-chemical properties, such as high specific surface area, cation exchange capacity, mechanical/chemical stability and non-toxicity. The main purpose of this work was to develop hybrid materials, using annatto dye and clay mineral modified with different inorganic cations, and then, to evaluate the stability of the new pigments. The process of preparing the modified clay minerals involved mixing a synthetic montmorillonite in solutions containing the precursor salts of the metal cations. Subsequently, the dye was dissolved in a solution containing water and alcohol, followed by filtration and mixed with the modified clay, giving rise to the hybrid pigments. Through the characterizations, it was noted that a variety of colors were obtained, and the sample containing aluminum was the one that most adsorbed the dye and showed a significant increase in stability at high temperatures. This hybrid material was better to dye than its pure form. Therefore, the bixin/montmorillonite pigments are promising for replacing artificial colors in practical applications such as in the cosmetics, food or pharmaceutical industries.

Facile fabrication of a stable fluorescent yellow X-10GFF/palygorskite hybrid pigment via semi-dry grinding

AbstractA hybrid fluorescent pigment composed of fluorescent yellow X-10GFF (FY-10G) and palygorskite (PLG) was prepared by semi-dry grinding. The effects of the physically adsorbed water content and grinding time on the environmental stability of FY-10G/PLG hybrid fluorescent pigments in terms of acid, ethanol and ultraviolet irradiation are discussed in detail. The incorporated FY-10 G molecules are mainly trapped on the external surface and the groove of PLG. Due to the host–guest interaction between PAL and FY-10G, the emission spectrum of the FY-10G/PLG hybrids shifts to a greater wavelength compared with that of FY-10G, but the physically adsorbed water content and grinding time have no effect on the position of the emission spectrum except for its intensity. A larger, physically adsorbed water content and appropriate grinding time may effectively prevent the aggregation and breakage of the bundles of PLG and facilitate FY-10 G molecules to enter into the groove of PAL. This increases the environmental stability of the as-prepared hybrid pigments.

Enhancement of undecylprodigiosin production from marine endophytic recombinant strain Streptomyces sp. ALAA-R20 through low-cost induction strategy.

Genetic manipulation of the undecylprodigiosin-producing strains and engineered culture medium approaches were applied as the most economical induction strategy for improving production. The hyper-producing recombinant strain ALAA-R20 was obtained after applying protoplast fusion strategy between the potent producer marine endophytic strains Streptomyces sp. ESRAA-10 (P1) and Streptomyces sp. ESRAA-31 (P2) of Dendronephthya hemprichi. Recombinant strain ALAA-R20 produced undecylprodigiosin yield higher than its parental strains ESRAA-10 and ESRAA-31 by 82.45% and 105.52% under submerged fermentation using modified R2YE medium. In order to reduce the costs of producing undecylprodigiosin, a solid-state fermentation (SSF) was applied. Scaled-up of optimized SSF parameters consisting of groundnut oil cake (GOC) sized to 3mm, initial moisture content 80% with a mixture of dairy mill and fruit processing wastewaters (1:1), pH7.0, inoculum size equal to 3 × 105spores/g dry substrate (gds), incubation temperature 30°C, and 7-day incubation period yielded the highest yield of 181.78mg/gds of undecylprodigiosin by the recombinant strain Streptomyces sp. ALAA-R20. Extraction and purification of the pigment using the chromatographic techniques as well as mass spectral analysis exhibited maximum absorbance at 539nm which is physiological property of the undecylprodigiosin. Undecylprodigiosin was stable over a wide temperature ranged from - 20 to 35°C even after storage for 6months. The maximum yield and stability of pigment was obtained at the acidic pH (acidified methanol, pH4.0). Undecylprodigiosin obtained from the recombinant strain Streptomyces sp. ALAA-R20 demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity against all multidrug-resistant bacterial and fungal strains tested with minimum inhibitory, minimum bactericidal, and minimum fungicidal concentrations ranged between 0.5 and 4.0, 0.5 to 4.0, and 1.0 to 8.0μg/mL, respectively. It also showed complete inhibition of cancer cells; HCT-116, HepG-2, MCF-7 and A-549 at 5, 8, 4, and 7μM with IC50 equal to 2.0, 4.7, 1.2, and 2.8μM, respectively.

История изучения пигментов периода палеолита (материалы, методы, концепции)

The paper presents an overview and assessment degree of various aspects of research and the use of dyes from archaeological complexes of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic in Africa, Europe, and North Asia. The key aspects of research have been identified: resource sources of raw materials, paint manufacturing technology, their use, and probable purpose. The regional features of the research are highlighted. Pigments from the collections of Africa’s sites are being studied comprehensively, with the consideration of the tool complex of the Middle Paleolithic sites. The studies of European Paleolithic pigments are primarily considered from the point of view of evidence of their use in symbolic activity, in the framework of a discussion about the emergence of symbolic behavior. Modern research on the territory of Eastern Europe and North Asia is focused on the study of the stability of pigments as an element of culture, pigment manufacturing technology based on the study of the structure and chemical composition of paints. Keywords: history of study, pigments, Middle Paleolithic, Upper Paleolithic, ochre, sign behavior Acknowledgements: This work was financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation (No. 18–78–10079 “Development of Technologies and an Information System for Documenting and Scientific Exchange of Archaeological Data”).

Ascorbic Acid Influence on the Extraction Intensity of the Anthocyanin Pigment from Black Currant Berries and Its Stability

The article considers the ascorbic acid effect on the extraction rate and stability of anthocyanin pigment exuded from black currant berries. The researchers treated defrosted and crushed black currant berries with 0.2–10.0 % solutions of ascorbic acid at temperatures of 20–90 °C for 5–150 minutes and 100 °C for 2.5 minutes, then filtered the solution out. They determined the color intensity of the solutions by the optical density using spectrophotometer SHIMADZU UV-1800 (Japan). To determine the anthocyanin pigment content, a man diluted samples with solvent system ethanol/water/hydrochloric acid (69/30/1) and measured their optical density at a wavelength of 540 nm. The authors calculate anthocyanins content in solutions using the formula and determine that the use of 0.2–1.0 % solution of ascorbic acid as an extractant leads to the extraction intensity increase of anthocyanin pigment from plant raw materials. Adding a 1.0 % ascorbic acid solution of to the system increases the extraction degree of anthocyanin pigment by 1.4 times. A further increase in the amount of ascorbic acid in the solution to 2.0–10.0 % leads to a slight increase in the extraction intensity of anthocyanin pigment. The most complete anthocyanin pigment is extracted from plant raw materials in the presence of ascorbic acid at exposure temperatures of 20-80 °C for 30 minutes and 100 °C for 2.5 minutes. An increase in the exposure time to 60-150 minutes leads to a drop in the extraction degree of anthocyanin pigment and a change in the solution color. The solution of the pigment color becomes brown.

Encapsulation of carotenoids with sucrose by co-crystallization: Physicochemical properties, characterization and thermal stability of pigments

Natural pigment carotenoids specifically β-carotene present in carrots is very sensitive to heat and light. The present work studied the co-crystallization as a process to increase the stability of the carotenoids extracted from carrots. Carotenoids encapsulated co-crystals were evaluated for their encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant activity, thermal behavior, physicochemical, and structural properties. Co-crystallization of the carotenoids with sucrose showed an encapsulation efficiency of 77.58% and an antioxidant activity of 68% towards DPPH free radicals. DSC thermogram confirmed the thermal stability of carotenoids encapsulated co-crystals by indicating the endothermic peaks at 190 °C. XRD pattern and FTIR spectra revealed that the crystal nature of sucrose and functional groups remained the same even after co-crystallization. SEM results revealed the irregular cavities in well-defined cubic crystals of sucrose which suggested the better entrapment of carotenoids into sucrose. Hence, co-crystallization significantly improved the overall stability of the carotenoids, and these co-crystals can be used as a natural colorant, sweetener, and antioxidant.

Insights on the use of alternative solvents and technologies to recover bio-based food pigments.

This review will discuss, under the Circular Economy and Biorefinery concepts, the performance of the alternative solvents in the downstream process to recover natural pigments in a more sustainable way. Conventionally, pigments marketed on an industrial scale are produced through chemical synthesis by using petroleum derivatives as the main raw material. Also, the current production chain of the synthetic dyes is linear, with no solvent recycling and waste generation. Thus, the most promising processes of extraction and purification of natural pigments and strategies on the polishing of the solvents are here reviewed. In this review, the use of alternative solvents, namely, ionic liquids, eutectic solvents, aqueous solutions of surfactants, and edible oils, for recovering natural pigments was reviewed. Works discussing higher extraction yields and selectivity, while maintaining the stability of the target pigments, were reported. Also, a panorama between Sustainability and Circular Economy prospection was discussed for better comprehension of the main advances in the field. Behind the analysis of the works published so far on the theme, the most important lacunas to overcome in the next years on the field were pointed out and discussed. Also, the future trends and new perspectives to achieve the economic viability and sustainability of the processes using alternative solvents will be scrutinized.

A Review on Anthocyanin Pigments with respect to its Nutraceutical Properties

Anthocyanin pigments are readily degraded during processing and storage of foodstuffs that can have a dramatic impact on color quality and may also affect the nutritional properties. Total anthocyanin pigment content and indices for polymeric color and browning are easily measured with simple spectrophotometric methods. Once individual pigments are identified, their changes can be monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The edible fruits of 12 plants were extracted in methanol and subjected to solvent–solvent partitioning to yield three fractions, hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous. A number of factors affecting anthocyanin stability and color are discussed in this review. Anthocyanins are probably the most spectacular of plant pigments since they are responsible for most of the red, purple and blue pigmentation of flowers, hits and vegetables. However, because of their highly reactive nature, anthocyanins readily degrade, or react with other constituents in the media, to form colorless or brown colored compounds. The presence of an oxonium ion adjacent to carbon 2 makes the anthocyanins particularly susceptible to nucleophilic attack by such compounds as sulfur dioxide, ascorbic acid, hydrogen peroxide and even water. Loss of anthocyanin pigmentation also occurs in the presence of oxygen and various enzymes, and as a result of high temperature processing. Certain degree of pigment stabilization may be conferred by acylation with various organic acids, co pigmentation, self-association and/or metal chelation. In addition, pH has a marked effect on anthocyanin stability, and on the color of media containing these pigments. A number of anthocyanin-rich sources have been investigated for their potential as commercial pigment extracts. Although their application is primarily limited to acidic media, continued research on the chemistry of anthocyanins may lead to application and stabilization of these pigments in a wider variety of food products.

Plant-based pigments: Challenges and future perspective for natural food colourants

Many synthetic food colourants have been developed to improve food products quality due to increasing demands. However, synthetic additives have been associated with numerous side effects and toxicity, allergic reactions, behavioural, and neurocognitive effects. Hence, consumer demands and their preferences for food colourants from natural origins have increased tremendously over the decades. With the growing interests for naturally derived and plant-based food ingredients to replace synthetic additives, many studies were done to provide safer and more effective food colourants. Among the highly explored plant-based pigments are anthocyanins, betacyanins, and carotenoids. Recently, there is also discovery on the newly found auronidins as potential pigment for future food application. This paper highlights on the features of plant-based pigments and its challenges, opportunities, and the way forward in food industry. Continuous research in this area is important for the development of more stable and intense pigments. Recent findings could be one of the ways to increase the stability of plant-based pigments to be applied in food industry.

Stability of Chlorophyll a Monomer Incorporated into Cremophor EL Nano-Micelles under Dark and Moderate Light Conditions.

In this paper, stability of chlorophyll a monomers encapsulated into the Cremophor EL nano-micelles was studied under dark and moderate light conditions, typical of a room with natural or artificial lighting, in the presence of oxygen. The pigment stability against visible light was determined using the dynamic light scattering and molecular spectroscopy (UV-Vis absorption and stationary fluorescence) methods. Chlorophyll a, at the molar concentration of 10−5 M, was dissolved in the 5 wt% Cremophor emulsion for comparison in the ethanolic solution. The stability of such a self-assembly pigment–detergent nano-system is important in the light of its application on the commercial-scale. The presented results indicate the high stability of the pigment monomeric molecular organization in the nano-emulsion. During the storage in the dark, the half-lifetime was calculated as about 7 months. Additionally, based on the shape of absorption and fluorescence emission spectra, chlorophyll aggregation in the Cremophor EL aqueous solution along with the time was excluded. Moreover, the average size of detergent micelles as chlorophyll carriers was not affected after 70 days of the nano-system storage. Pigment stability against the moderate white light (0.1 mW) did not differ significantly from storage conditions in the dark. The photooxidation products, detected by occurrence of new absorption and fluorescence emission bands, was estimated on the negligible level. The stability of such a self-assembly pigment–detergent nano-system would potentially broaden the field of chlorophyll a (chl a) application in the food industry, medicine or artificial photosynthesis models.

Copigmentation with Chlorogenic and Ferulic Acid Affected Color and Anthocyanin Stability in Model Beverages Colored with Sambucus peruviana, Sambucus nigra, and Daucus carota during Storage.

The food industry is looking for alternatives to synthetic colorants. Anthocyanins (ACNs) are suitable replacements due to their color characteristics and potential health benefits. The application of sauco (Sambucus peruviana, SP) as a potential source of ACN-based colorants was evaluated and compared to elderberry (Sambucus nigra, SN) and an extract from purple carrots (PC). Color and pigment stability were evaluated using a model beverage system during eight weeks of storage. Copigmentation with chlorogenic acid (CGA) and ferulic acid (FA) were also evaluated. SP ACNs provided darker and more intense colors than those obtained with SN but less intense than those obtained with PC. Addition of CGA and FA resulted in significantly darker colors with higher chroma in beverages colored with SP and SN but not in beverages colored with PC. Copigmentation with FA reduced monomeric pigment half-lives for all ACN sources but increased the chroma half-lives of beverages colored with SP and SN, from 23 to 49 weeks, and from 23 to 55 weeks, respectively. Analyses using liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry showed that interaction between non-acylated ACNs and FA resulted in the formation of pyranoanthocyanins. Overall, ACNs from non-acylated sources such as SP, in combination with FA, showed potential for commercial food applications.

Comparison of blue discoloration in radish root among different varieties and blue pigment stability analysis

The internal blue discoloration of radish root after harvest is a physiological phenomenon that decreases the radish quality. Internal blue discoloration in the roots of 16 varieties of Chinese radish along with the stability of blue pigment under different light, pH, and temperature conditions were investigated. Among the varieties LB05-244 and LB05-240 displayed the greatest degrees of discoloration, while the Piton and Dense radishes exhibited the lowest degrees of discoloration. The light and pH conditions along with the storage temperature affected the pigment stability. The degradation of blue pigment occurred faster under blue light than under green, red, and white light and darkness. Blue pigment degraded fastest at pH values of 13 and 1. The blue pigments in radish exhibited thermal instability, with complete degradation occurring in 5 or 10 min at 90 or 100 °C, respectively. In conclusion, variety affected the discoloration. The pigment exhibited light, pH and thermal instability.

Influence of Different Sweeteners on the Stability of Anthocyanins from Cornelian Cherry Juice.

Cornelian cherries are red fruits which can be considered as a valuable dietary source of antioxidant biologically active compounds, especially anthocyanins. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the anthocyanins degradation process in Cornelian cherry juice supplemented with different sweeteners. Four formulations of Cornelian cherry juice were prepared using different sugars (sucrose, fructose) or artificial sweeteners (aspartame and acesulfame potassium). The obtained juices were stored at three distinct temperatures (2 °C, 25 °C, and 75 °C) in order to evaluate the effects of the sweetener and storage conditions on the pigment stability. The rate constants (k) and the half time values (t1/2) of the degradation processes were determined. The highest stability was observed for the anthocyanins from the unsweetened juice stored at 2 °C (k = 0.5·10−3 h−1), while the most accelerated degradation was registered for the fructose sweetened juice stored at 75 °C (k = 91.65·10−3 h−1). The presence of the different sweeteners in the Cornelian cherry juice affects their pigment stability during storage. The highest change in the retention of anthocyanins was determined by the presence of fructose, while acesulfame potassium had the less deleterious effect.

Stability, kinetics, and application study of phycobiliprotein pigments extracted from red algae Gracilaria gracilis.

Phycobiliprotein (PBP) pigments were extracted from red algae Gracilaria gracilis through maceration in phosphate buffer using previously optimized conditions. The stability of PBPs in the extracts was assessed by monitoring the extracts at different pHs and temperatures for 10 days. Since phycoerythrin (PE) is the main PBP present in G. gracilis, PE content was spectroscopically determined and used as a response factor. Kinetic modeling was used to describe PE degradation under different ranges of T and pH. The pigment extracts presented higher stability at pH 6.9 and -20°C. PE was semipurified by precipitation with ammonium sulphate 65% followed by dialysis against water until a purity index of 0.7. The pigment was successfully applied as colorant in pancakes and yogurts with a pigment concentration of 0.15%. This study highlights the potential of PE pigments extracted from G. gracilis for applications in food products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Phycobiliprotein pigments were extracted from red algae Gracilaria gracilis through maceration in phosphate buffer. The stability of the pigment was evaluated at different pHs and temperatures, presenting higher stability at neutral pH and low temperatures. The pigment was successfully applied as colorant in pancakes and yogurts with a low pigment concentration. This study highlights the potential of phycobiliprotein pigments extracted from G. gracilis for applications in food products.