A natural color protection agent, its preparation method and application

Abstract

This application relates to the field of food color-protecting agents, specifically to a natural color-protecting agent, its preparation method, and its application. The natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include enzyme inhibitors, chelating components, and antioxidant components. The preparation method of the natural color-protecting agent is as follows: the key color-protecting components and the carrier are mixed in proportion to obtain a mixture, which is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250-350 rpm for 10-20 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent; or deionized water is added to the mixture to adjust the solid content to 10-50% to obtain a liquid color-protecting agent. In the color-protecting treatment, the color-protecting agent prepared in this application significantly reduces the brightness and browning degree of food during storage, and significantly inhibits the enzyme activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase. The treated food has a high sensory score and good stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of food color-protecting agent preparation technology, and more specifically, it relates to a natural color-protecting agent and its preparation method, which is particularly suitable for the stability protection of natural pigments in foods such as candies, gummies, fruit juices, meat or meat products, seasonings or jams, and can simultaneously solve the problems of difficulty in food color protection and insufficient stability of natural color-protecting agents. Background Technology

[0002] Food color is a key factor influencing consumer choices. Natural pigments are widely used in the food industry due to their safety advantages, but they are easily affected by factors such as light, oxidation, high temperature, and metal ions, resulting in fading or discoloration (such as browning of juice, fading of candy, and darkening of meat). Existing color-protecting technologies have significant drawbacks. For example, while synthetic color-protecting agents such as nitrites can stabilize the color of meat, they may generate nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. Chemical chelating agents such as EDTA are controversial in terms of food safety and do not conform to the trend of clean labeling. Existing natural extracts (such as tea polyphenols and curcumin) have poor color-protecting effects on light-colored foods (such as milk candy and pear juice), easily introducing their own color and causing discoloration. Furthermore, the stability of single components is insufficient, and they cannot withstand high-temperature processing (such as jam making) and long-term storage. Therefore, developing a color-protecting agent that is naturally derived, suitable for both light and dark-colored foods, and has strong stability has become the key to solving the color-protecting problem in the food industry. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the technical problems mentioned in the background section, this application provides a natural color-protecting agent, its preparation method, and its application.

[0004] A natural color-protecting agent, comprising key color-protecting ingredients and a carrier;

[0005] Preferably, the key color-protecting components include: enzyme-inhibiting components, chelating components, and antioxidant components.

[0006] Preferably, the carrier is one or more of oat β-glucan, inulin, konjac glucomannan, apple fiber, and citrus fiber.

[0007] Preferably, the carrier mass fraction is 10-18% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting component.

[0008] Preferably, the enzyme-inhibiting component is composed of white radish and its derivatives and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 8-10:1-2.

[0009] Preferably, the white radish and its derivatives are one or more of white radish powder, white radish pulp, white radish water extract, and white radish alcohol extract.

[0010] Preferably, the white radish and its derivatives contain glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, vitamin C, and polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid.

[0011] Preferably, the chelating component consists of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4-8:1-3:0.5-1.

[0012] Preferably, the antioxidant component is one or more of rosemary extract, sea buckthorn extract, and green tea extract.

[0013] Preferably, the antioxidant component is rosemary extract.

[0014] Preferably, the rosemary extract contains ≥3% carrageenan.

[0015] Preferably, in the color-protecting key components, the sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75-95% of the mass fraction of the enzyme-inhibiting component, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7-10:3-5.

[0016] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0017] Mix the key color-protecting components with the carrier in proportion to obtain a mixture. Then, mix the mixture in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250-350 rpm for 10-20 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent. Alternatively, add deionized water to the mixture and adjust the solid content to 10-50% to obtain a liquid color-protecting agent.

[0018] A natural color-protecting agent prepared by the above preparation method is used for color protection in candies, gummies, fruit juices, meat or meat products, seasonings or jams.

[0019] Preferably, the amount of the powdered color-protecting agent added is 0.8-2.0% of the total mass of the food.

[0020] Preferably, the amount of the liquid color-protecting agent added is 5-20% of the total mass of the food.

[0021] In summary, this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] This application describes an enzyme-inhibiting component prepared by combining white radish and its derivatives with perilla leaf extract. The combination of white radish and its derivatives with perilla leaf extract can more effectively block enzymatic browning at its source through a synergistic inhibitory effect on the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), reducing the degradation or oxidation of natural pigments by enzymes and thus achieving a color-protecting effect. This addresses the problems of narrow enzyme inhibition range and insufficient stability associated with single extracts. Furthermore, the isothiocyanates in white radish and the active substances in perilla leaf extract also possess strong antioxidant properties, effectively inhibiting the oxidative decomposition of pigments (such as chlorophyll, anthocyanins, and carotene) in food, thereby maintaining their original color. The chelating component consists of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower bud extract. Utilizing the strong metal-chelating ability of glucosinolate degradation products, flavonoids, rutin, and other substances in these three components, it achieves a comprehensive chelation effect against copper, iron, manganese, and other catalytically oxidizing metal ions in the food system, preventing pigment oxidation and discoloration caused by metal ions and filling the gap in the incomplete coverage of metal ions by single chelating components. Rosemary extract, as an antioxidant component, combines its multiple functions of directly scavenging free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and regenerating other antioxidants to achieve targeted blocking of non-enzymatic oxidation pathways. It complements enzyme-inhibiting and chelating components, covering the three core causes of pigment discoloration: enzymatic, metal-catalyzed, and free radical oxidation, thus achieving comprehensive color protection.

[0023] This application balances the metal chelation and free radical scavenging requirements by setting the ratio of chelating, antioxidant, and enzyme-inhibiting components, maximizing the synergistic effect of "enzyme inhibition-chelation-antioxidation." This avoids imbalances in color-protecting gains or potential impacts on pigment structure caused by excessive amounts of a single component, ensuring the stability of the color-protecting effect. A color-protecting agent with uniform dispersion of key color-protecting components and excellent solubility and flowability is obtained through a carrier, achieving compatibility with various food systems such as beverages, jams, and baked goods. Furthermore, relying on all-natural ingredient sources, a safe color-protecting product that meets "clean label" requirements and carries no risk of chemical color-protecting agent residue is obtained. Attached image description:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a comparison chart showing the color protection effect of the natural color-protecting agents prepared in the blank control group, Example 1, and Comparative Examples 1-2 on pear juice.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a comparison chart showing the color protection of tomato juice by the natural color-protecting agents prepared in the blank control group, Example 1, and Comparative Examples 1-2.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a comparison chart showing the color protection effect of the natural color-protecting agents prepared in the blank control group, Example 1, and Comparative Examples 1-2 on celery juice. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments.

[0028] Examples 1-3 provide a natural color-protecting agent and its preparation method.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish powder and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 8:1. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7:3. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0031] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0032] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0033] Example 2

[0034] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish pulp and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 6:1. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 6:2:0.8. The antioxidant component is sea buckthorn extract. The sum of the mass parts of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 82% of the mass part of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 8:3.5. The carrier is inulin, and the mass part of the carrier is 13% of the mass part of the key color-protecting components.

[0035] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0036] Mix the key color-protecting ingredients with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. Add deionized water to the mixture and adjust the solid content to 30% to obtain a liquid color-protecting agent.

[0037] Example 3

[0038] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish water extract and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 5:1. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 8:3:1. The antioxidant component is green tea extract. The sum of the mass parts of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 95% of the mass part of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 10:5. The carrier is inulin, and the mass part of the carrier is 18% of the mass part of the key color-protecting components.

[0039] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0040] Mix the key color-protecting ingredients with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. Add deionized water to the mixture and adjust the solid content to 50% to obtain a liquid color-protecting agent.

[0041] Comparative Example 1

[0042] A natural color-protecting agent includes a key color-protecting ingredient and a carrier. The key color-protecting ingredient is white radish powder, and the inulin content is 10% of the key color-protecting ingredient content by weight.

[0043] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0044] White radish powder and inulin are mixed in proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0045] Comparative Example 2

[0046] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is perilla leaf extract. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7:3. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0047] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0048] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0049] Comparative Example 3

[0050] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is white radish powder. The chelating component consists of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7:3. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0051] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0052] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0053] Comparative Example 4

[0054] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish powder and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 1:8. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7:3. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0055] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0056] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0057] Comparative Example 5

[0058] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish powder and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 8:1. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 3:7. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0059] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0060] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0061] Comparative Example 6

[0062] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish and its derivatives and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 8:1. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 50% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7:3. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0063] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0064] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0065] Comparative Example 7

[0066] A natural color-protecting agent includes key color-protecting components and a carrier. The key color-protecting components include: an enzyme inhibitor, a chelating component, and an antioxidant component. The enzyme inhibitor is composed of white radish powder and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 8:1. The chelating component is composed of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4:1:0.5. The antioxidant component is rosemary extract, which contains 3% caryopsisic acid. The sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 120% of the mass fraction of the enzyme inhibitor, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7:3. The carrier is inulin, and the mass fraction of the carrier is 10% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components.

[0067] A method for preparing a natural color-protecting agent includes the following preparation steps:

[0068] The key color-protecting components are mixed with the carrier in a certain proportion to obtain a mixture. The mixture is then mixed in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent.

[0069] Performance testing

[0070] Pears, tomatoes, and celery of uniform ripeness from the same batch were washed, juiced using a cell wall-breaking process, filtered through cheesecloth to remove residue, and then packaged. Each was treated with the natural color-protecting agents prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-7, respectively. The powdered color-protecting agent was added at 1% of the total food mass, and the liquid color-protecting agent was added at 10% of the total food mass. The blank control group was treated with deionized water. Samples were taken and measured after being placed at 35°C for 14 days. The test results are shown below. Figure 1-3 The specific test items are as follows:

[0071] Brightness and browning degree: measured using a spectrophotometer;

[0072] Polyphenol oxidase (PPO): The activity of polyphenol oxidase was determined by spectrophotometry using catechol as a substrate, measuring the change in absorbance at 420 nm before and after treatment with a color-protecting agent.

[0073] Peroxidase (POD) activity: Peroxidase activity was determined using the guaiacol method;

[0074] The specific test results are shown in Table 1-3.

[0075] Table 1. Color-protecting performance parameters of the color-protecting agents prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-7 on pears.

[0076]

[0077] Table 2. Color-protecting performance parameters of the color-protecting agents prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-7 on tomatoes.

[0078]

[0079] Table 3. Color-protecting performance parameters of celery prepared by the color-protecting agents in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-7.

[0080]

[0081] As shown in Tables 1-3, compared with the blank control group, the color-protecting agents prepared in this application significantly improved the brightness and browning degree of pears, tomatoes, and celery during storage, and also achieved higher sensory scores. The color-protecting effect of the examples was superior to that of the comparative examples, which is attributed to the fact that the color-protecting agents not only inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, but also synergistically enhanced the color-protecting effect through chelation and antioxidant effects, ultimately resulting in higher sensory scores.

[0082] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of this application and is not intended to limit it. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art can make modifications to this embodiment without contributing any inventive step, but such modifications are protected by patent law as long as they fall within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A natural color-protecting agent, characterized by comprising, Made from key color-protecting ingredients and a carrier; The key color-protecting component consists of enzyme-inhibiting components, chelating components, and antioxidant components; The carrier is inulin; The carrier mass fraction is 10-18% of the mass fraction of the key color-protecting components; The enzyme-inhibiting component is composed of white radish powder, white radish pulp or white radish water extract and perilla leaf extract in a mass ratio of 8-10:1-2. The white radish powder, white radish pulp, or white radish water extract contains glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, vitamin C, and polyphenols. The chelated component consists of broccoli extract, mulberry leaf extract, and sophora japonica flower extract in a mass ratio of 4-8:1-3:0.5-1. The antioxidant component is one or more of rosemary extract, sea buckthorn extract, and green tea extract; In the key color-protecting ingredients, the sum of the mass fractions of the chelating component and the antioxidant component is 75-95% of the mass fraction of the enzyme-inhibiting component, and the mass ratio of the chelating component to the antioxidant component is 7-10:3-5.

2. A process for the preparation of natural color-protecting agent as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The preparation steps include the following: Mix the key color-protecting components with the carrier in proportion to obtain a mixture. Then, mix the mixture in a three-dimensional mixer at a speed of 250-350 rpm for 10-20 minutes to obtain a powdered color-protecting agent. Alternatively, add deionized water to the mixture and adjust the solid content to 10-50% to obtain a liquid color-protecting agent.

3. The application of a natural color-protecting agent as described in claim 1 in food color protection, characterized in that, It is used for color protection in pear juice, tomato juice, and celery juice.

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