Extraction of Natural Food Colours from Medicinal Plant and Estimation of Bio-Active Compounds- Psychology of Food Colouring

Natural and edible pigments can be extracted from bioresources which can be used as natural food colouring agent with fortified natural Bio- Active compounds to induce the natural nutritional property as commercial synthetic colours are hazardous. Chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phycobili proteins are the major pigments present in Medicinal plants. Extraction of high quality natural food colouring from Medicinal plant with Fortified Bio-Active compound and efficient impact of these colouring on chemical, microbial and sensory quality of jelly dessert were evaluated. The main objectives of the present study were to extract colour pigments along with Bio-Active compounds from Medicinal Plant using ethanol, methanol and water as solvents while. The stability, sensory, microbial and nutritional quality was measured after preparation of jelly using natural colour. These pigments have a shelf life of more than six months in 5% citric acid at ambient temperatures. The colour attributes of the jelly dessert prepared using natural colours retain more than thirty days at room temperature. Agar jelly prepared using natural food colours had significantly higher concentrations of calcium and Potassium and fortified Bio- Active compound. Natural food colours and Bio- Active compounds in jelly resulted in high Sodium content and high magnesium content when compared to jelly prepared using artificial colours. The protein content, carbohydrate and fat contents in the jelly dessert was made using natural food colouring. By undergoing toxicity test, the food colours which were tested were found to be non-toxic and were found to be in higher ranges of nutrition indicating that these dyes can be used as food supplement.