LAB 5: PIGMENT

1. Pigment of meat

1.1 Abstract

The purpose of this experiment is to examine the color change of myoglobin of pork. As a
result, there are differences among these samples in different conditions in terms of color.

1.2 Background

Color is used by consumers to determine if meat is fresh and safe to eat. It is the single most
important driving factor in a consumer’s decision to purchase meat. Myoglobin is the heme
iron containing protein that gives meat its color, and it is a great source of dietary iron.
Myoglobin stores oxygen in muscle cells and is similar to hemoglobin that stores oxygen in
blood cells. The more myoglobin content meat contains the darker red it will appear in color
and myoglobin content is intermediate in pork. In this experiment, we will observe and
discuss the color of pork by different methods such as let it at room temperature; boil it;
mixed with KNO2 and let it at room temperature; mixed with KNO2 and boil it.

1.3 Material and Method

- Material: pork, KNO2

1.4 Results

Figure 1: Let slide pork at room temperature Figure 2: Boil slide pork
Figure 3: Mixed with KNO2 and let it at room temperature Figure 4: Mixed with KNO 2 for 2 hours and boil it

Disk no 1 2 3 4

Observed color pinkish-red white pale brown dark brown

Table 1: The color change of pork by different methods

1.5 Discussion

The optimum surface color of fresh meat (grayish-pink for pork) is highly unstable and short-
lived.

-When exposed to air, myoglobin forms the pigment, oxymyoglobin, which gives meat a
pleasingly pinkish-red color.

- When applying heat like boiling it, the proteins are denatured and recombine  the meat
becomes opaque and whitish.
- When slide pork is cured with KNO2, usually dissolved in water, causes metmyoglobin to
be formed, which causes the meat to turn pale brown.

- When the product is heated, the cured meat will form the compound nitrosylhemocrome
that leads to darker brown color.

2. Extraction of plant pigment

2.1 Abstract

The goal of this experiment is to examine the solubility of natural plant pigment. As a result,
there are differences among these samples in terms of the solubility and the color of each
solution.

2.2 Background

This orange-yellow color, called annatto, is extracted from the seed coats of a tropical tree,
Bixa orellano. Annatto is available commercially in oil-soluble and water-soluble forms,
depending on the method of extraction and subsequent preparation into dilutions,
suspensions, mixtures, emulsions and powders. Color application will dictate the form of
annatto to be selected.

2.3 Material and Method

- Material: annatto seed, bicarbonat sodium, oil, 1N NaOH, 5% acid citric

- Method:

*5% acid citric:

m acid citric ×100

5 %= =¿ macid citric =0.5 g=¿ m H 2 O=10−0.5=9.5 g
10

¿>V H 2 O=9.5 mL
 2.4 Results

Figure 5: Annatto seed in different solutions such as H2O, acid citric, NaOH,
H2O + Bicarbonat sodium, oil (from left to right)

H2O +
Solution H2O Acid citric NaOH Bicarbonat Oil
sodium

Color yellow pale yellow dark orange yellow orange orange

Table 2: The color change when putting annatto seed in different solutions

2.5 Discussion

The color of annatto seed comes from compounds called carotenoids, which are pigments
that are found in the seed’s outer layer and many other fruits and vegetables, such as carrots
and tomatoes. The concentration of color is expressed as a percentage of this compound. In
addition, there are some factors such as pH, emulsifiers and overall solubility that affect the
hue.

Oil-soluble annatto has a brighter hue  the color of the beaker 5.

Moreover, annatto seed contains carotenoids which are a fat soluble substance and soluble
partially in water so that in beaker 1, we just observe the yellow color of annatto seed.
However, the adding of acid citric in beaker 2 don’t affect the color because it is acid-stable
substance.

The darkening produced by the action of alkalines and carotene is easily oxidized when
exposing to air. In beaker 4 (Bicarbonate sodium) and beaker 3 (NaOH), they are an alkaline
environment so the color of the two beakers is darker than others.