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In most birds, red feather color is linked to diet and attributed to carotenoids contained in plants and fruits. In the red crown feathers of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula), a new biopigment was identified based on carminic acid, the main coloring compound of cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) and other scale insects. This has revealed a potential new class of carminic acid-based biopigments, not previously identified in feathers. In this research, red crown feathers of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet were analyzed by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) employing synthesized silver star-shaped colloids as the nanoplasmonic platform. Results indicated peaks at 450, 670, 1290-1312, 1355, 1410, 1570, 1620 cm-1 in the feather SERS spectra characteristic of carminic acid. SERS has proven to be an extremely sensitive, non-destructive technique for the identification of different feather biopigments, even at trace quantities and in the presence of other predominant coloring substances.

Dactylopius coccus es un insecto de importancia comercial como fuente de un colorante natural denominado ácido carmínico. Para su producción comercial en cautiverio, se ha promovido la cría en cladodios suspendidos a diferentes alturas, en un sistema denominado “nopaloteca”. Sin embargo, se desconoce si su calidad y rendimiento es uniforme en los diferentes niveles. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la influencia de la altura del nivel en una “nopaloteca” y el índice de cosecha en la concentración de ácido carmínico (CAC, %) y peso fresco (PF, g) de D. coccus. La crianza del insecto se realizó en una “nopaloteca” de madera (3x3 m), con cuatro niveles de altura (0.5, 1.0, 1.50 y 2 m). Durante el ciclo de cultivo se registró cada día la temperatura, la humedad relativa y la intensidad luminosa. Las hembras adultas se recolectaron en dos etapas del desarrollo: pre y postoviposición. La CAC más alta (19.2%) se obtuvo en 1.0 m de altura, aunque este nivel registró el PF más bajo con 3.5 g por cladodio, que expresa una correlación negativa entre la CAC y el PF. La recolecta en postoviposición generó una CAC superior (18.8%), aunque el PF se redujo. Tanto la humedad relativa (HR) como la iluminación total, pero principalmente la temperatura que incidió en cada nivel, influyeron en la calidad y el rendimiento de D. coccus, aunque de manera diferencial sobre ambos factores, lo cual indica la presencia de límites óptimos de desarrollo. Bajo las condiciones del estudio, el sistema de cría en “nopaloteca” produjo en promedio 4.5 g de cochinilla por cladodio y una CAC de 17.5%. Los niveles evaluados causaron diferencias en rendimiento y calidad, pero sus valores más altos se registraron en los niveles intermedios (1.0 y 1.5 m). El índice de cosecha recomendado para obtener mayor CAC fue la etapa de postoviposición.

In this study, three foodstuffs (surimi, minced meat, and milk) were dyed with carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake. The effects of protein, metal ions, and food additives on the color of carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake were investigated. After being dyed by carminic acid, the colors of surimi, minced meat, and milk were light purple, red, and gray‐green, respectively. When using carminic aluminum lake, surimi and milk were magenta, and minced meat was red. Regarding the carminic acid solution, the presence of myofibrillar protein (MFP), whey protein isolate (WPI), and soy protein isolate (SPI) turned it red by changing the pH, while the presence of casein made it orange. The carminic aluminum lake solution turned magenta in all four cases, which were not affected by protein. The color of carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake was significantly affected by 0.001–0.1 mol/L Fe3+, 0.001–0.1 mol/L Fe2+, 0.001–0.1 mol/L Cu2+, and 0.1 mol/L Ca2+, limiting their application in iron‐, copper‐, and high‐calcium foods. The color of carminic acid was changed to yellow by 0.01%‐1% sodium nitrite, but 0.01%–1% ascorbic acid and 0.01%–0.1% monascus color did not significantly affect the color of either carminic acid or carminic aluminum lake. This paper provides a reference for the application of carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake in food science., Three foodstuffs (surimi, minced meat and milk) were dyed by carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake. The effects of protein, metal ions and food additives on the color of carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake were investigated.This paper provides a reference for the application of carminic acid and carminic aluminum lake in food industry.

In Russia, in the production of meat and sausage products, the food colour, named as Red rice, is use. Red rice is obtain by the cultivation the strains of the Monascus fungus on various carbohydrate substrates, for example rice. That Red rice may contain the mycotoxin citrinin, but neither the purity of the food colour nor the safety profile are regulated. The aim of this work was to study the physical and chemical properties of Red rice and to develop method for its determination in sausage products. The experiments were carried out on model and commercial samples of sausages. The samples were analyzed using spectrophotometry and highefficiency planar and liquid chromatography. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed differences in solubility, coloring power, spectral characteristics, composition and ratio of pigments in commercial samples of Red rice. The extraction parameters of colouring substances from sausages model samples were determined. It has been established that Red rice is extracted with chloroform, acetone, ethanol and its aqueous solutions. Petroleum ether was proposed for degreasing sausages. Red rice from sausages was extracted with acetone because it did not extract synthetic colours and carminic acid. It was found, that 90% of Red rice is extracted from samples of sausages by double extraction with ultrasonic treatment with a power of 128 W. High performance thin layer chromatography method and high performance liquid chromatography method for the Red rice identification was proposed. The content of Red rice in the extracts was determined by spectrophotometric method. The developed method for the determination of Red rice was tested on commercial samples of sausage products.

Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) is a key pest of the prickly pear cactus in Mexico where the plant, and its phytophagous community, are native. It is also an introduced pest in Brazil and the Mediterranean basin. Amongst the phytophagous community of prickly pear in Mexico there is also Dactylopius coccus, the cultivated cochineal. This cochineal is used to obtain carminic acid as a natural dye, but it has also been reported as an invasive pest in Ethiopia. The most feasible control option for these insects is biological control, but whether their natural enemies develop well in both species is unknown. The aim of this work was to study the biology of the predator, Laetilia coccidivora (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), when it was fed either D. opuntiae or D. coccus in the laboratory. The predator completed its development on both species. Carminic acid was at higher concentrations in D. coccus (8–25%) than D. opuntiae (2–5%), and feeding on D. coccus had negative effects on larval duration (16.7 vs. 22.0 days), developmental time (36 vs. 43.2 days) and survival rate of the predator (42.5 vs. 92.4%). Fecundity (22.7 vs. 12.9 eggs per female), net reproductive rate (R0 = 10.1 vs. 5.8) and intrinsic rate of increase (rm = 0.064 vs 0.041) were also diminished when L. coccidivora fed on D. coccus, compared with D. opuntiae. We discuss possible reasons for variation in predator fitness when fed on each prey type.

Considering the great importance of nanocomposite based photo-active nanomaterials for a variety of elec-tronics, photonics and photovoltaics application, it is always worth considering to synthesize new hetreos-tructure. This paper describes the sol-gel and hydrothermal synthesis of metal (holmium, barium, and cadmium) doped TiO2/CdS nanocomposites for photoanode applications. Various characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, UV-VIS, EDX, and SEM were used to examine the synthesized heterostructures. The band gap of pure TiO2 NPs is 3.10 eV, which was effectively decreased to 2.16 eV by doping and coupling with CdS. The nano-material's crystallinity, crystallite size, morphology and elemental composition were determined by XRD, SEM and EDX, respectively. As sensitizers, the organic dyes dithizone, carminic acid, and pyrocatechol violet were used. FTIR was used to analyze the effective dye grafting on the surface of nanomaterials. In the presence of hole conducting P3HT polymer as solid state electrolyte, the sensitized materials were evaluated for solid state dye -sensitized solar cells. Compared to the reference device, Cd-TiO2/CdS photosensitized using Pyrocatechol violet dye demonstrated the highest efficiency of 2.68% (0.82%). Other parameters of this device, including open circuit voltage (Voc) and short circuit current (Jsc), were determined to be 16.97 mA cm2 and 0.41V, respectively., Higher education commission of Pakistan; [6169/Federal/NRPU/R D/HEC/16], We are greatly appreciative to Higher education commission of Pakistan under project No-6169/Federal/NRPU/R & D/HEC/16 for financial support and Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, for providing laboratory and other facilities.

A photoactive nanohybrid material consisting of pyrocatechol violet, carminic acid and dithizone dyes functionalized silver and neodymium-doped TiO2/ZnO nanostructured materials is reported here, as photoactive blend, for solid-state dye sensitized solar cell. First of all we synthesized metals (silver, neodymium) doped (TiO2) Titanium oxide nanoparticles and their nanocomposites (TiO2/ZnO, M-TiO2/ZnO) using the sol-gel and reflux technique, respectively. The synthesized samples were then characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction Analysis (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Optical studies were done through UV-Visible spectroscopy and the absorption spectra were used to calculate band gaps. The value of the energy gap for TiO2 nanoparticles is 3.10 eV which was gradually tuned to 2.47 eV after incorporating metals (Ag and Nd) and forming respective nanocomposites. X-Ray diffraction Analysis (XRD) patterns revealed the purity and crystallinity in samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the irregular morphology (nanorods and spherical shaped) of ZnO and TiO2 nanostructures respectively. The elemental composition of nanomaterials was successfully investigated using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). In the absence of any impurities, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the functional groups in synthesized material. For device fabrication, a solid-state electrolyte, P3HT, a hole conducting polymer was used. Characterization of fabricated solar cells was done using I-V measurements. Under simulated solar irradiation, the DSSC based on pyrocate-chol violet sensitized neodymium doped TiO2/ZnO nanohybrid materials exhibited the best PCE (power conversion efficiency) of 2.38 % and significantly improved Jsc (short circuit current density) of 15.68 mA/ cm2 as compared to carminic acid and dithizone in photovoltaic measurements. The improved power conversion efficiency of this device is ascribed to the particle size, increased dye adsorption, increased surface area and thus improved short circuit current density (Jsc). (c) 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V., Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad [6169/Federal//NRPU/RD/HEC/16], We are highly thankful to Higher education commission of Pakistan under project No-6169/Federal//NRPU/R & D/HEC/16 for financial support and Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, for providing laboratory and other facilities.

Significance Microbial degradation of C -glycosides is only reported from human intestinal bacteria. This study isolated a C -glycoside–catabolizing bacteria, Microbacterium sp. 5-2b, from soil and identified a C -glycoside–metabolizing enzyme. Surprisingly, while the metabolic pathway of C -glycoside in the strain was similar to that of an intestinal one, the enzyme named CarA catalyzing the initial step of metabolism was completely different from an enzyme identified from the intestinal microorganism; CarA identified as C -glycoside 3-oxidase for C-glycoside metabolism exhibited amino acid sequence similarity to pyranose oxidase family proteins. This study clarified the structure, function, and distribution of the enzyme involved in C -glycoside catabolism and provides insight into the biogeochemical circulation of C -glycosides in nature.

To help conserve the vast array of (combinations of) dyestuffs and pigments encountered in cultural-heritage objects and application materials, a rapid and convenient method for dye-degradation research is required. In-solution degradation studies of dyes in a strong solvent, such as the commonly used dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), are potentially of interest, in addition to studies involving other solvents, such as water. The degradation of eosin and carminic acid under the influence of light was investigated in two solvents, i.e. in a mixture of DMSO and acetonitrile and in pure water. A liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method was developed for analysis of the degraded samples and identification of the individual components. The presence of DMSO generally facilitated faster degradation, which, in combination with its universal solvating properties are advantageous. However, different products were formed in the presence of DMSO. Degradation pathways for eosin and carminic acid in these solvents are proposed.

Carminic acid (CA) extracted from cochineal is widely used in food additives as a natural colorant, and its potential risk to human health makes its detection important. In this work, a layered doubled hydroxide (LDH)–luminol–H2O2 system-based chemiluminescence (CL) platform has been successfully applied for CA sensing. The principle detection consists of two steps: first, LDH adsorbs CA onto the surface via electrostatic attraction; second, CA quenches the CL of the LDH–luminol–H2O2 system via the synergistic effect of CL resonance energy transfer, reduction of reactive oxygen species, and occupation of positively charged centers of brucite-like layers. With this CL approach, 0.5 μM CA is detectable using a CL spectrometer, and the limit of detection is 0.03 μM. This CL system exhibited a linear response to CA in the concentration range from 0.5 to 10 μM. In addition, the practical application of the designed CL sensing system is evaluated with dried pork slice samples.

A facile synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and methionine film modified screen printed carbon electrode (rGO-methionine/SPCE) was proposed as a disposable sensor for determination of food colorants including amaranth, tartrazine, sunset yellow, and carminic acid. The fabrication process can be achieved in only 2 steps including drop-casting of rGO and electropolymerization of poly(L-methionine) film on SPCE. Surface morphology of modified electrode was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This work showed a successfully developed novel disposable sensor for detection of all 4 dyes as food colorants. The electrochemical behavior of all 4 food colorants were investigated on modified electrodes. The rGO-methionine/SPCE significantly enhanced catalytic activity of all 4 dyes. The pH value and accumulation time were optimized to obtain optimal condition of each colorant. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for determination, and two linear detection ranges were observed for each dye. Linear detection ranges were found from 1 to 10 and 10 to 100 µM for amaranth, 1 to 10 and 10 to 85 µM for tartrazine, 1 to 10 and 10 to 50 µM for sunset yellow, and 1 to 20 and 20 to 60 µM for carminic acid. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated at 57, 41, 48, and 36 nM for amaranth, tartrazine, sunset yellow, and carminic acid, respectively. In addition, the modified sensor also demonstrated high tolerance to interference substances, good repeatability, and high performance for real sample analysis.

A simple and rapid distance paper-based analytical device (dPAD) for the detection of lead (Pb) in foods is proposed herein. The assay principle is based on competitive binding between carminic acid (CA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) to Pb in a food sample. The paper channels were pre-immobilized with PEI, before reacting with a mixture of the sample and CA. Pb can strongly bind to the CA, hence, the length of the red color deposition on the flow channel decreased as a lower amount of free CA bound to PEI. The dPAD exhibited good linear correlation, with ranges of 5–100 µg·mL−1 (R2 = 0.974) of Pb. Although, the limit of detection (LOD) of this platform was rather high, at 12.3 µg·mL−1, a series of standard additions (8.0, 9.0, and 10.0 µg·mL−1) can be used to interpret the cutoff of Pb concentrations at higher or lower than 2 µg·mL−1. The presence of common metal ions such as calcium, magnesium, nickel, and zinc did not interfere with the color distance readout. The validity of the developed dPAD was demonstrated by its applicability to screen the contamination of Pb in century egg samples. The results obtained from the dPAD are in accordance with the concentration measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) (n = 9). In conclusion, this proposed dPAD, combined with the standard addition method, could be applied for screening Pb contamination in food matrices. This platform is, therefore, potentially applicable for field measurements of Pb in developing countries, because it is cheap and rapid, and it requires no significant laborious instruments.

Cadmium and barium doped TiO2 nanoparticles and their respective heterostructured nanomaterials (TiO2/ZnO) were successfully synthesized through simple sol-gel and reflux methods respectively. Optical, structural and morphological analysis of as synthesized material were done by using UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX). The band gap values were calculated from the optical absorption spectra of nanomaterials. The band gap of TiO2 NPs (3.10 eV) was effectively tuned up to 2.82 eV by doping it with different concentrations of cadmium and barium followed by coupling with ZnO nanoparticles. The crystalline nature and phase purity of the materials were confirmed through XRD. Morphological analysis and elemental composition studies were performed with the help of SEM and EDX. Functional groups were detected through FTIR analysis. The nanostructured materials were used in combination with P3HT (as a hole conducting polymer) to fabricate photoactive blend for dye sensitized solar cell. The photovoltaic performances of fabricated device were investigated by using current voltage (I-V) measurements. The results showed that metal doped TiO2 and their respective nano structures (TiO2/ZnO) showed better conversion efficiencies than undoped TiO2. The maximum conversion efficiency (eta) was observed for Pyrocatechol violet sensitized Cd-TiO2/ZnO heterostructured nanomaterial which is 1.84%. The corresponding current density was found to be 13.11 mA/cm(2)., Higher education commission of Pakistan [6169/Federal//NRPU/RD/HEC/16], We are highly thankful to Higher education commission of Pakistan under project No-6169/Federal//NRPU/R&D/HEC/16 for financial support and Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, for providing labo-ratory and other facilities.

11 pags., 5 figs., SERS spectroscopy is successfully employed in this work to reveal different components integrating the cochineal colorant employed for dying archaeological textile samples from the Arica Region in North Chile. This analysis was done by in-situ experiments that does not imply the material (colorant and biomolecules) extraction. The spectroscopic analysis of the archaeological textiles by SERS reveals the presence of bands attributed to carminic acid and nucleobases, mainly adenine and guanine. The identification of these biomolecules was also verified in raw cochineal extract and in cochineal dyed replica wool fibers fabricated by us following ancient receipts. The effect of Al on the complexation of carminic acid and other biomolecules was also tested in order to understand the changes induced by the metal interaction on the colorant structure. This study revealed that Al can also complex biomolecules existing in the cochineal extract. In particular, guanine residue seems to interact strongly with the metal, since SERS bands of this residue are enhanced. Furthermore, a theoretical analysis on the interaction of carminic acid and a silver surface was also performed in order to better understand the interaction mechanism between carminic acid and a metal surface that leads to the final SERS spectrum. The results of the present work will be very useful in the identification of different molecules and metal complexes that may be forming part of the cochineal colorant found in archaeological materials., S.S.C., M.C.V. and F.C. acknowledge the i-COOP+2015 Program of CSIC, project COOPB20146. C.S. acknowledges to Conicyt 21150397. F.C. acknowledges Fondecyt project 3150222 and CNE 10-1920 project funded by the Universidad de Playa Ancha (Concurso Regular de Investigación 2018). S.S.C. and F.C. also thanks the MINECO/ FEDER project FIS2017-84318-R.

Carminic acid is an aromatic polyketide found in scale insects (i.e., Dactylopius coccus) and is a widely used natural red colorant. It has long been produced by the cumbersome farming of insects followed by multistep purification processes. Thus, there has been much interest in producing carminic acid by the fermentation of engineered bacteria. Here we report the complete biosynthesis of carminic acid from glucose in engineered Escherichia coli. We first optimized the type II polyketide synthase machinery from Photorhabdus luminescens, enabling a high-level production of flavokermesic acid upon coexpression of the cyclases ZhuI and ZhuJ from Streptomyces sp. R1128. To discover the enzymes responsible for the remaining two reactions (hydroxylation and C-glucosylation), biochemical reaction analyses were performed by testing enzyme candidates reported to perform similar reactions. The two identified enzymes, aklavinone 12-hydroxylase (DnrF) from Streptomyces peucetius and C-glucosyltransferase (GtCGT) from Gentiana triflora, could successfully perform hydroxylation and C-glucosylation of flavokermesic acid, respectively. Then, homology modeling and docking simulations were performed to enhance the activities of these two enzymes, leading to the generation of beneficial mutants with 2-5-fold enhanced conversion efficiencies. In addition, the GtCGT mutant was found to be a generally applicable C-glucosyltransferase in E. coli, as was showcased by the successful production of aloesin found in Aloe vera. Simple metabolic engineering followed by fed-batch fermentation resulted in 0.63 ± 0.02 mg/L of carminic acid production from glucose. The strategies described here will be useful for the design and construction of biosynthetic pathways involving unknown enzymes and consequently the production of diverse industrially important natural products.

This work concerns the study of colors and dyes identified on archaeological textiles from the Atacama Desert. The different garments and ornaments come from the excavation of two important pre-Columbian cemeteries of the Tarapacá region: Tarapacá-40 attributed to the Formative period (1100 BC - 660 AD) and Pica-8 to the Late Intermediate period (900 - 1450 AD). For the first time, a multi-analytical approach with non-invasive techniques using Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS), Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) were applied on samples of less than 2 cm of length for physicochemical characterization of the raw materials and the dyes employed in the textile production of northern Chile. The fibers are from animal origin. Blue, green, and yellow are identified as indigo, but we cannot discard a mixture with other dyes to vary hue and shade; while carminic acid and alizarin - to a lesser extent - are found on red, orange and brown samples. This research provides new elements for the discussion about the textile technology developed in this desertic region, its changes and continuities along with the history. Our results are compared to recent findings on neighbouring regions from northern Chile, to improve the current knowledge and discuss the existence of dyeing textile cultural traditions.

Os pigmentos laca de cochinilha pertencem a uma importante classe de materiais para artistas sensíveis à luz, que requer especial atenção. O seu desvanecimento provoca alterações indesejáveis na aparência visual das obras de arte e a sua identificação é uma tarefa especialmente desafiante. Neste trabalho, foram estudados os processos de manufatura de pigmentos laca de cochinilha do arquivo do século XIX da Winsor & Newton (W&N), uma fonte primária no que concerne às práticas de um dos fabricantes de materiais para artistas mais importantes na altura. Foram estudados quatrocentos e quarenta e três (443) registos relativos aos produtos de cochinilha, Carmine (28%), Crimson (30%), Scarlet (22%) e Purple (20%), os quais demonstram a dedicação e compromisso da W&N em relação à qualidade e durabilidade dos seus pigmentos. Desses 443 registos, foram identificados dois métodos de síntese principais, cuja diferença reside no pH de extração. Sete processos de manufatura representativos foram selecionados e reconstruídos com a maior exatidão possível e a maior parte dos pigmentos resultantes foram comparados, com sucesso, a amostras históricas. Foi utilizada uma abordagem multi-analítica, que incluiu ICP-AES, EDXRF, UV-Vis-NIR FORS, Espetrofluorimetria, FTIR, Raman e SERS, para caraterizar as reconstruções e as amostras históricas, tendo sido possível detetar diferentes cromóforos. Cada um destes cromóforos apresenta uma impressão digital elementar e molecular que é ainda caracterizada por um aluminato, gesso ou pigmento inorgânico (vermelhão), característicos dos processos de manufatura da W&N. A evidência experimental sugere, pela primeira vez, que a presença de alumínio e cálcio na estrutura molecular é essencial para obter complexos organizados, os quais correspondem a pigmentos carmim. Por sua vez, a ausência de cálcio resulta muito provavelmente numa mistura de isómeros de complexos mais pequenos e tons arroxeados. Reconstruções selecionadas e amostras históricas pintadas com goma-arábica e poli(acetato de vinilo) foram também sujeitas a uma experiência de envelhecimento acelerado com luz utilizando uma solabox. Estas amostras foram estudadas com técnicas analíticas convencionais e com espectrometria microfading e imagiologia hiper-espetral de refletância no Vis-NIR, contribuindo para demonstrar as potencialidades destas duas técnicas relativamente inovativas. No geral, as referências de carmim revelaram-se as mais estáveis quando misturadas com goma-arábica, enquanto o pigmento escarlate com poli(acetato de vinilo) mostrou uma ligeira menor alteração de cor quando comparado com a quase total perda de cor das restantes tintas com poli(acetato de vinilo). Este trabalho permitiu alcançar um importante avanço e obter um significativo conjunto de materiais de referência e informação espetral que permitem dar continuidade ao estudo de pigmentos laca de cochinilha, da sua fotodegradação e da sua identificação em obras de arte. Cochineal lake pigments belong to an important class of lightparticular focus. Their fading results in undesirable changes in the artworks their identification is a challenging task. In this work, the Winsor & Newton (W&N) 19th Century Archive Database, a primary source on the practices of time, was investigated in relation to their manufacturing processes for cochineal lake pigments. Four hundred and forty-three (443) production records pertaining to Carmine (28%), Crimson (30%), Scarlet (22%) and Purple (20%) cochineal products were studied, which revealed the commitment that W&N made to the quality and durability of their pigments Two main methods of synthesis were identified, which difference lies on the pH of extraction. Seven selected representative manufacturing processes were reconstructed with as much historical accuracy as possible and the majority of the resulting pigments were successfully compared with historical samples. A multianalytical approach, which included Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry, microEnergy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry, UV-Vis-NIR Fibre Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy, microspectrofluorimetry, microFourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, microRaman Spectroscopy, and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, was used to characterise the reconstructions and historical samples. Different chromophores were detected, each presenting an elemental and molecular fingerprint that can be further characterised by an amorphous manufacturing processes. Experimental evidence suggests, for the first time, that the presence of aluminium and calcium in the molecular structure is essential to obtain organised complexes which correspond to bright carmine pigments, while the absence of calcium most probably results in a mixture of isomers of smaller complexes and purplish hues. Selected reconstructions and historical samples painted with gum-arabic and poly(vinyl acetate) were also subjected to an accelerated light ageing experience using a solarbox. These samples were investigated with conventional analytical techniques as well as with microfading spectrometry and Vis-NIR reflectance hyperspectral imaging, contributing to the demonstration of the potentialities of these relatively innovative techniques. Overall, the carmine references turned out to be the most lightfast when mixed with gum-arabic while the scarlet pigment with poly(vinyl acetate) showed a slightly smaller colour change when compared with the almost complete loss of colour of the other poly(vinyl acetate) paints. This work has provided an important breakthrough together with a valuable set of reference materials and spectral data for the further study of cochineal lake pigments, their photodegradation and identification in artworks.

Carminic acid (CA) and other related compounds have been widely used as dyes in cultural heritage, cosmetics and the food industry. Therefore, the study of their properties upon photoexcitation is particularly important. In this work, the photophysical and photochemical properties of CA, carminic lake and other related pigments in aqueous solutions are revisited. Novel quantitative information regarding the fate of the photoexcited states is provided including the efficiency of reactive oxygen species (ROS) photosensitized production (i.e., singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide) as well as the efficiency of nonradiative deactivation pathways. Laser-induced optoacoustic spectroscopy (LIOAS) data revealed that for all the investigated compounds, almost all the absorbed energy is released as prompt heat to the media. This is in agreement with the fact that other deactivation pathways, including fluorescence (ΦF ∼ 10−3–10−5), photochemical degradation (ΦR ∼ 10−4) and/or photosensitized ROS formation (ΦH2O2 < 10−5 and ΦΔ ∼ 0), are negligible or null. In addition, a comprehensive investigation of the photodegradation of CA and lake is herein reported. The influence of different experimental parameters such as irradiation wavelength and oxygen partial pressure was evaluated. UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy in combination with chemometric data analysis were used to elucidate the relevant aspects of the photodegradation mechanism involved and the spectroscopic features of the photoproducts generated. In aqueous media, CA follows an O2-dependent photochemical degradation when subject to elapsed photoexcitation in the UVB, UVA and visible regions. The photoproduct profile depends on the excitation wavelength giving rise to quite distinctive spectroscopic profiles. With respect to lake, our data suggest that upon photoexcitation, this pigment releases a CA-like chromophore that follows a similar fate to CA.

We present here a novel strategy for textile sample treatment, using galvanic displacement-based substrates, to identify anthraquinone dyes by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). This global procedure of SERS analysis, using several silver microparticles, in particularly those of dendritic shape, formed by reducing silver nitrate with zinc or copper, can be accomplished within 20 min. Compared to the synthesis of standard Lee-Meisel colloids, the preparation of silver dendrites provides a simple, fast and cost-effective route to produce reliable SERS substrates. The most fascinating feature is that the textile fibers analyzed are almost simultaneously covered with the substrates once the galvanic displacement reaction is triggered. This method was successfully applied to discriminating between alizarin and purpurin in a 6th-9th century samite with bird roundels, and carminic acid and laccaic acid in a 1740s chinoiserie brocade. However, as is the case with other silver substrates, the Raman signals of the insect dyes normally overlapped those of the plant dyes in the SERS profiles.

The natural red food colorants carmine (E120) and carminic acid are currently produced from scale insects. The access to raw material is limited and current production is sensitive to fluctuation in weather conditions. A cheaper and more stable supply is therefore desirable. Here we present the first proof-of-concept of heterologous microbial production of carminic acid in Aspergillus nidulans by developing a semi-natural biosynthetic pathway. Formation of the tricyclic core of carminic acid is achieved via a two-step process wherein a plant type III polyketide synthase (PKS) forms a non-reduced linear octaketide, which subsequently is folded into the desired flavokermesic acid anthrone (FKA) structure by a cyclase and a aromatase from a bacterial type II PKS system. The formed FKA is oxidized to flavokermesic acid and kermesic acid, catalyzed by endogenous A. nidulans monooxygenases, and further converted to dcII and carminic acid by the Dactylopius coccus C-glucosyltransferase DcUGT2. The establishment of a functional biosynthetic carminic acid pathway in A. nidulans serves as an important step towards industrial-scale production of carminic acid via liquid-state fermentation using a microbial cell factory.

A systematic study of the addition of C-based nucleophiles to fluorinated lactones based on 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-pyranoses is disclosed. This high yielding, α-selective process was found to be independent on the nature or configuration [(R)-C(sp3)-F, (S)-C(sp3)-F] of the substituent at C2. Representative, fluorinated analogues of Trehalose, Carminic acid, and the spirocyclic cores of Tofogliflozin and Papulacandin D are also reported. These glycomimics constitute a valuable series of 19F NMR active probes for application in structural biology.

The boron content was determined in 42 different foods consumed in Istanbul, Turkey. Eleven species of fruit, ten species of vegetable, eight species of food of animal origin, four species of grain, two species of nuts, two species of legume, and five other kinds of foods were included to this study. They were analyzed by two methods: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique and carminic acid assay, and the results of two methods were also compared. Boron concentration in foods ranged between 0.06–37.2 mg/kg. Nuts had the highest boron content while foods of animal origin had the lowest. A strong correlation was found between the results of the carminic acid assay and the ICP-MS technique (p = 0.0001, Pearson correlation coefficient: r = 0.956). Bland Altman analysis also supported this correlation. ICP-MS is one of the most common, reliable, and powerful method for boron determination. The results of our study show that spectrophotometric carminic acid assay can provide similar results to ICP-MS, and the boron content in food materials can be also determined by spectrophotometric method. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. SAG-C-YLP-070317-0092 Funding This work was financially supported by the Marmara University Scientific Research Projects Commission [grant number SAG-C-YLP-070317-0092].

The revival of natural dyes in textiles is gaining popularity due to their sustainable nature. The current study has been undertaken to improve the dyeing behaviors of cochineal-based natur...

Foods must have attractive color, flavor and texture to be acceptable to consumers. Carminic acid (C.I. (1956) 75470; C.I. Natural Red 4; EEC No. E120) is a natural red dye extracted from cochineal, the desiccated bodies of female Dactylopius coccus Costa insects. Carminic acid produce pink shades in candy, confections, chewing gum, concentrated fruit juice, smoked fish, liqueurs and alcoholic cordials, soft drinks, yoghurt, ice cream, tomato ketchup, baked goods, dairy products, jams, jellies, eye shadow, and pill coatings. The impact of the presence of aspartame, citric acid and vitamin C on the spectrophotometric parameters of carminic acid was investigated. These results enabled us to evaluate the possibility of using UV-Vis spectrophotometric method for easily identifying and quantifying carminic acid present in a wide variety of foodstuffs in the presence of additives. It was established that the inves­tigated additives do not affect the position of absorbance maximum of the dye nor cause changes in its intensity. The value of molar absorptivity, ε, at 518 nm was 1265.68 ± 49.90 dm3/mol∙cm. The calculated value is necessary for the quantitative spectrophotometric determination of carminic acid food dye. The FT IR spectra of the dye was also recorded.

We evaluated the skin sensitizing potential of 10 natural organic chemicals, or their derivatives, which are included in foods and/or skin products, using a modified local lymph node assay (LLNA), with an elicitation phase (LLNA:DAE). The following compounds were tested: carminic acid, esculetin, 4-methyl esculetin, coumarin, quercetin, curcumin, naringenin, chlorogenic acid, isoscopoletin, and shikonin. Esculetin, 4-methyl esculetin, isoscopoletin, and shikonin yielded positive results. In particular, shikonin at a very low concentration (0.05%) induced an elicitation response. In conclusion, four of the 10 natural organic chemicals tested had a skin sensitization potential, with shikonin producing serious reaction even at a very low concentration.

In this work, we improved the adsorption capacity of Opuntia ficus-indica fruit peels (OFIFP) by graft-copolymerization using gamma radiation. Acrylic acid (AA) and 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) were grafted onto OFIFP to yield the adsorbents OFIFP-g-polyAA, OFIFP-g-(polyAA-co-4VP), and OFIFP-g-poly(4VP-co-AA). The viability of employing these adsorbents in the removal of textile dyes was analysed constructing adsorption isotherms for methylene blue, malachite green, methyl orange, and carminic acid. The adsorption of cationic fit Langmuir's model well, but Freundlich's model better described the adsorption of anionic dyes. Graft-copolymerization improved the adsorption capacity of OFIFW for cationic dyes by 25%. Furthermore, the removal percentage for disperse orange dye within wastewater increased by 400% using OFIFP-g-(polyAA-co-4VP). Then, graft-polymerization using gamma radiation is a suitable tool to improve the adsorption capacity of lignocellulosic adsorbents.

We have developed a colorimetric chemosensor for the selective and sensitive detection of Cys based on the complex (CA-2Pb2+) between a commercially available natural organic dye, carminic acid (CA) and Pb2+ in pure aqueous solution at physiological pH. The addition of Cys to the CA-2Pb2+ solution resulted in a distinct color change from purple to red together with a remarkable absorption spectral change by the restoration of CA through a displacement mechanism with formation of the Cys-Pb2+ complex, whereas other amino acids and glutathione induce no or minimal spectral and color changes. Moreover, the other amino acids and GSH do not affect the detection ability of CA-2Pb2+ for Cys. The reversibility even through several cycles was established for practical applications. The results indicate that CA-2Pb2+ may be useful as a potential colorimetric and naked-eye chemosensor for Cys over Hcy and GSH in aqueous solution.

Carminic acid, a glucosylated anthraquinone found in scale insects like Dactylopius coccus, has since ancient times been used as a red colorant in various applications. Here we show that a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase, isolated from D. coccus and designated DcUGT2, catalyzes the glucosylation of flavokermesic acid and kermesic acid into their respective C-glucosides dcII and carminic acid. DcUGT2 is predicted to be a type I integral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein, containing a cleavable N-terminal signal peptide and a C-terminal transmembrane helix that anchors the protein to the ER, followed by a short cytoplasmic tail. DcUGT2 is found to be heavily glycosylated. Truncated DcUGT2 proteins synthesized in yeast indicate the presence of an internal ER-targeting signal. The cleavable N-terminal signal peptide is shown to be essential for the activity of DcUGT2, whereas the transmembrane helix/cytoplasmic domains, although important, are not crucial for its catalytic function., Carminic acid is a widely applied red colorant that is still harvested from insects because its biosynthesis is not fully understood. Here, the authors identify and characterize a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase catalyzing the final step during carminic acid biosynthesis.

A HPLC method coupled with diode array detector was developed and validated for the quantitation of alizarin, apigenin, carminic acid, curcumin, ellagic acid, emodin, fisetin, kaempferide, kaempferol, kermesic acid, morin, purpurin, quercetin and sulfuretin which are components of several natural dyes. 1- Hydroxyanthraquinone was selected as internal standard. The compounds were separated under gradient elution on a RP-column (Altima C18, 250 mm x 3.0 mm i.d., 5 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of solvent A: H2O + 0.1% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid and solvent B: acetonitrile + 0.1% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid. The method was validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, accuracy, precision, ruggedness and robustness and applied to the analysis of silk dyed with buckthorn (Rhamnus trees), cochineal (Dactylopius coccus Costa), madder (Rubia tinctorum L.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and young fustic (Cotinus coggygria Scop). Furthermore, dyed silk samples were subjected to artificially accelerated ageing conditions induced by UV radiation. The effect of the latter on the quantities of the aforementioned compounds was monitored, except for apigenin, kermesic acid and morin.

El ácido carmínico es una sustancia que probablemente funciona como protección ante la depredación. Su concentración difiere entre Dactylopius coccus y D. opuntiae. Entonces, planteamos la hipótesis de que un depredador específico, el coccinélido Hyperaspis trifurcata, tendría una preferencia alimentaria por la especie con menor concentración de ácido carmínico. Para comprobar esta hipótesis se realizaron pruebas de elección con ambas especies en condiciones de laboratorio (25 ± 2 °C, 50 ± 20 % HR, y 12:12 h L:O). En la primera prueba, el depredador tuvo opción de alimentarse de ninfas de primer ínstar de ambas especies de presas, y en el segundo de hembras grávidas. H. trifurcata consumió ninfas de primer ínstar de ambas especies, y no mostró preferencia por alguna de ellas. En ese estado de desarrollo la concentración de ácido carmínico entre especies fue similar. Sin embargo, H. trifurcata prefirió alimentarse de hembras grávidas de D. opuntiae con una concentración de ácido carmínico de 3 %, mientras que dicho contenido fue de 23 % en D. coccus. Nuestros resultados apoyan la hipótesis de que H. trifurcata prefiere alimentarse de D. opuntiae en lugar de D. coccus debido a la concentración de ácido carmínico, o de algunos de sus precursores metabólicos

International audience; Hybrid pigments based on carminic acid (CA) stabilized by clay minerals have been prepared. Three different pathways were used: CA@saponite; CA@Al-pillared saponite; and hydrogels of saponite-CA or montmorillonite-CA covered by polyorganosilane (POS). Pigments were characterized by a set of different techniques including X-Ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) spectroscopies. The color parameters, i.e., L*a*b*, were measured. In addition, the photostability of the samples under visible light was evaluated. The results showed that CA@PilSap presented a greater stability compared to CA@Saponite. The pigments obtained from hydrogels presented the greatest light stability due to the coverage with POS that acts as a protective layer.

The nature of the pigments or dyes used to dye the first Portuguese postage stamps has remained unknown until now. In this work, a study has been made of the inks used for red, rose, purple and orange colors in a selected number of Portuguese postage stamps from the period 1857 to 1909. This is based on analysis involving a variety of techniques (X-ray fluorescence, UV-Vis spectroscopy, HPLC-MS/HPLC-DAD, steady and time resolved fluorescence). It was found that the inks included, among others, the inorganic pigments cinnabar (HgS), lead oxide (Pb3O4) and chromate (PbCrO4), lead sulphide (PbS), and the organic compounds carminic acid and Eosin Y. The study demonstrated a non-destructive analysis method for identification of two molecules of color involving the UV-Vis (for carminic acid and Eosin Y) and fluorescence spectra, together with quantum yields and lifetimes (for Eosin Y).

Dried bodies of the female insect Dactylopius coccus Costa were extracted using various extraction solvents. Whereas the amount of extracted carminic acid was between 4 and 24 % of insect material, 4-aminocarminic acid was detected in the extracts in only in low amounts of about 0.1 % of insect material. Compared to ratios of 4-aminocarminic acid to carminic acid, which had been reported to be present in some food additive and beverage samples, ratios in the insect extracts were very low (between 1:211 and 1:154, w/w). However, mixing carminic acid and ammonium hydroxide resulted in formation of significant amounts of 4-aminocarminic acid. Depending on the molar ratio of carminic acid to ammonia, the ratio of 4-aminocarminic acid to carminic acid was up to 1:1.2 (w/w). Spontaneous formation of 4-aminocarminic acid leading to a false positive result was also observed for the analysis of a ketchup sample when ammonia was used during sample preparation.

Background Color change in artworks has been commented on for centuries. Fading of watercolor pigments is a notable alteration. Pigments based on carminic acid are among those particularly prone to color loss, but the mechanism and factors are not well understood. Results We painted out three pigments prepared from the aqueous extract of carminic acid (CA) from Dactylopius coccus: the uncomplexed, and aluminium- and tin-complexed lakes. These were applied in a 2% gum Arabic solution to papers that were acidic, neutral or alkaline pH and exposed to accelerated light aging in a weatherometer. The comparative rate of fading was dependent on the complexation and on the pH of the substrate. On alkaline paper, the Al complex was least light stable, on neutral paper the three colorants responded similarly, and on acidic paper the tin complex was the least light stable. This is discussed in light of the published information on reactions and mechanism of color loss of CA. Graphical abstract Cochineal-based pigments fade on exposure to light. In watercolor paints, the rate depends not only on the complexation of the ligand but also the pH of the paper substrate

The commercially available natural organic dye, carminic acid (CA), an anthraquinone derivative bearing hydroxyl and carboxyl groups as recognition sites was found to be a colorimetric probe for Pb2+ in perfect aqueous solution under neutral conditions with specific selectivity and high sensitivity. Upon addition of Pb2+, the absorption maximum of CA showed a large red shift, and the resulted color change from red to purple could be easily identified even by the naked eye. The chemical stoichiometric ratio between CA and Pb2+ was determined to be 1:2 through Job plot, Pb2+ titration, and kinetic experiments. Moreover, other environmental relevant metal ions induced no or minimal spectral and color changes. The reversibility of Pb2+ to CA with EDTA even through several cycles was established for practical applications. The results indicated that CA can be a good candidate for simple, convenient and reversible colorimetric detection of Pb2+ in aqueous solution even though it was hard to be applied to determine Pb2+ on the water testing by US EPA.

Carminic acid (CA), a member of natural dyes, is well known for its good stability in a variety of foods such as candies, drinks, and fruits. However, it has never been authorized as a food additive in meat products. In order to detect CA with high sensitivity and specificity, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) has been developed. A high-titer polyclonal antibody (Pab) against CA was obtained after the immunization of New Zealand white rabbits with conjugate of CA coupling with BSA. Several physicochemical factors including pH value, ionic strength, and organic solvent were tested, and it was observed that the ELISA working solution was pH 7.4 PBS buffer containing 50 mmol L−1 Na+. Under the optimal conditions, 50% inhibitive concentration (IC50) of CA was 95.2 ng mL−1 and the limit of detection (LOD) was 1 ng mL−1. Cross-reactivity of the Pab toward carmine was 108.7%, and no response was found with other four edible colorants. The spiked meat samples were detected by ic-ELISA with intra- and inter-assay recovery ranges of 79.1–103.1 and 81.6–98.8%, respectively. Finally, the results for the fortified food samples were further confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a high correlation coefficient of 0.927, which demonstrated that the method in the study was sensitive enough for the quantification of CA in meat products.

The synthesis of hybrid pigments was made from combination of γ-Al2O3 and some organic chromophores such as carminic acid, alizarin, purpurin, curcumin, fluorescein and betacyanins. The γ-Al2O3 was obtained through sol-gel synthesis with 2-propanol and aluminium tri-sec-butoxide (ATB). This article presents some spectroscopic evidences related to the formation of aluminium complexes between coordinative unsaturated sites (CUS) of aluminium and some organic groups (carboxylic acid, quaternary ammonium and β-keto enol) present in the chromophores structure. The physicochemical properties upcoming from a spectroscopic analysis point out that these materials can be applied in the design of new materials with potential uses in artworks and in the field of cultural heritage.

We developed and validated an interference free microfluidic instrument for rapid determination of boron concentration in produced water using the carminic acid assay. Interferences from other species are eliminated by controlling crucial aspects of the kinetics and thermodynamics of the assay. The use of a microfluidic mixer improves the reaction kinetics by reducing the diffusion time. The high surface-to-volume characteristic of microchannels efficiently dissipates the heat generated by the exothermic reaction of the carminic acid with water. We incorporate a 6.5 bar back pressure element, which offsets the onset of calcium sulfate precipitation and hydrochloric acid outgassing that often disturb optical measurement for the assay when performed at atmospheric pressure. The analyzer has a measurement rate of 1 sample per min, a precision of 5%, a limit of detection of 0.16 mg L−1 at 615 nm, and a measurement range of 0–420 mg L−1. The instrument accurately measured ten water samples that were representative of fluids encountered in the oilfield when compared to ICP-MS measurements. The fast measurement rate of the instrument enables near real-time decision of the fate of produced water in the oilfield.

Cochineal extract prepared from the scale insect Dactylopus coccus (American cochineal) has been used as a natural red dye for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The major pigment in cochineal extract is carminic acid (CA), an anthraquinone glucoside, and several minor pigments have been previously reported. Our investigation aimed at establishing the safety of cochineal dye products using ultra performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array-electrospray ionization-time of flight (UPLC-PDA-ESI-TOF)/MS found an unknown minor pigment, spiroketalcarminic acid (1), in three commercial cochineal extract samples; cochineal extract used in food additives, carmine that is an aluminum salt of cochineal extract used as natural dye, and a research reagent of CA. The purification of 1 from cochineal extract involved sequential chromatographic techniques, including preparative reversed-phase HPLC. Two dimensional (2D)-NMR and mass analyses established the structure of 1 to be a novel anthraquinone with an unusual 6,5-spiroketal system instead of the C-glucosyl moiety of CA. The absolute stereochemistry of the spiroketal moiety in 1 was determined by nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) correlations and optical rotation. No data corresponding to 1 had previously been reported for extracts of dried cochineal insects and traditional art products dyed with cochineal extract, indicating that 1 is likely produced during the preparation of commercial cochineal extract.

Lac dye and cochineal extract contain laccaic acids and carminic acid as the main pigments, respectively. Both laccaic acids and carminic acid are anthraquinone derivatives. 4-Aminocarminic acid (acid-stable carmine), an illegal colorant, has been detected in several processed foods. 4-Aminocarminic acid is obtained by heating cochineal extract (carminic acid) in ammonia solution. We attempted to prepare ammonia-treated lac dye and to identify the structures of the main pigment components. Ammonia-treated lac dye showed acid stability similar to that of 4-aminocarminic acid. The structures of the main pigments in ammonia-treated lac dye were analyzed using LC/MS. One of the main pigments was isolated and identified as 4-aminolaccaic acid C using various NMR techniques, including 2D-INADEQUATE. These results indicated that ammonia-treatment of lac dye results in the generation of 4-aminolaccaic acids.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Segurança Alimentar apresentada à Faculdade de Farmácia Desde sempre existiu a necessidade de alterar certas características dos alimentos, como é o exemplo da cor. Para tal recorre-se, frequentemente, a substâncias artificiais ou naturais. Estas alterações visam principalmente torná-los mais atraentes para o consumidor, para que tenham a cor tomada como ideal ou preferida no alimento em si, mesmo que não tenha qualquer influência no sabor. O objetivo destas alterações relaciona-se apenas com a aparência, não havendo qualquer interesse ou efeito no valor nutricional do alimento.Um dos corantes naturais mais consumidos no mundo é a carmina, corante obtido através do corpo seco da cochonilha. Apesar de ser considerado seguro para a saúde humana e aprovado por diferentes agências internacionais, este corante mostra ser um dos mais conhecidos por causar reações alérgicas. Este corante é usado numa enorme variedade de produtos, principalmente alimentares, onde se incluem os iogurtes. A metodologia usada para avaliar o teor de carmina expresso em ácido carmínico presente nas amostras consistiu em proceder a uma hidrólise em meio ácido, seguida de deteção e quantificação por espetrofotometria UV-Vis a 494 nm. Neste estudo foram analisadas 30 amostras, 13 de iogurtes líquidos e 17 de iogurtes sólidos. De entre estas, 43,3% eram de marcas brancas e 56,6% de marcas de fabricante.No grupo constituído pelos iogurtes sólidos observou-se um valor máximo de 193,75 mg/kg e no dos iogurtes líquidos esse valor foi de 153,13 mg/kg. Das 17 amostras de iogurtes sólidos analisadas seis encontram-se acima do limite máximo de utilização permitido pela legislação europeia, 150 mg/kg, e dos 13 iogurtes líquidos analisados, duas também se encontram acima daquele limite.Apesar de algumas amostras se encontrarem acima dos valores permitidos, o valor da EDI não ultrapassou o valor da ADI estabelecido pela EFSA em 2015, podendo concluir-se que a ingestão de ácido carmínico veiculada pelo consumo de iogurtes não apresenta risco para a saúde dos consumidores. There has always been a need to change certain food characteristics, such as color. This is often done with artificial or natural substances. These changes are mainly intended to make them more attractive to the consumer, so that they have the ideal or prefered color in the food it self, even if it has no influence on taste. The purpose of these changes relates only to appearance, with no interest or effect on the nutritional value of the food. One of the most consumed natural dyes in the world is carmine, obtained through the dry body of cochineal. Despite being considered safe for human health and approved by different international agencies, this dye proves to be one of the best known to cause allergic reactions. This coloring is used in a wide variety of products, mainly food, including yogurt. The methodology used to evaluate the carmine content expressed in carminic acid present in the samples was by acid hydrolysis, followed by detection and quantification by 494 nm UV-Vis spectrophotometry. In this study were analyzed 30 samples, 13 of liquid yogurt and 17 of solid yogurt. Of these, 43.3% were non-brand and 56.6% were manufacturer brands. In the group consisting of solid yogurt a maximum value of 193.75 mg / kg was observed and in the group of liquid yogurt this value was 153.13 mg / kg. Of the 17 solid yogurt samples analyzed, six are above the maximum use limit allowed by European legislation, 150 mg / kg, and 13 of the liquid yoghurt samples analyzed, two are also above that limit. Although some samples are above the allowable values, the EDI value did not exceed the ADI value established by EFSA in 2015, and it can be concluded that the intake of carminic acid from yogurt consumption does not pose a risk to consumers health.

Dactylopius coccus Costa is a species of economic importance due to the carminic acid contained in its body, which is used in many biomedical and textile industries. Therefore, the price of D. coccus varies depending on the carmine acid concentration (CAC) it contains. However, its content is influenced by factors such as: opuntia species or variety, age and nutritional status of the host, stage of development in which the female is collected, temperature, relative humidity, light incidence, season of the year in which the cochineal slaughter and drying method is raised, as well as the method used to quantify the CAC. Therefore, the objectives of the study were: To compare three quantification methods and to select the one that quantified the highest CAC, as well as to determine the productive behavior of D. coccus according to the CAC (%) and fresh weight (FW), in an opuntia repository (nopaloteca) in two breeding stations. For the first stage, three methods commonly used in Mexico for carminic acid quantification were assessed. A homogeneous cochineal sample was used for assessing. As a result of this assessment, the most efficient method was selected and used in the second stage of this research, with some modifications to improve its robustness. In the second stage of the study, a nopaloteca of wood was established under greenhouse conditions with four levels of height (0.5 m, 1.0 m, 1.5 m and 2.0 m); the females were collected in two stages of development: pre and post-oviposition. A daily record of temperature, relative humidity and light intensity was kept, the study was carried out in two seasons: spring-summer and autumn-winter. The cochineal FW per cladode (g), the CAC (%) obtained at each height level, development phase and breeding season; as well as the CAC obtained from each of the evaluated methods, an analysis of variance was performed using the Tukey test (p ≤0.05) to determine the significant differences in averages and a correlation analysis was done using Pearson's r coefficient. The results showed significant differences among the methods used, since differences of up to 4.6% were recorded. The Briseño-Garzón and Llanderal (2008) method proved to be the most efficient among them. The autumn-winter cycle was more favorable for cochineal D. coccus breeding with a CAC of 18 % and the highest FW (6.1 g per cladode). During the spring-summer rearing a negative correlation was observed between the CAC and the PF. Consistently, the collection of cochineal in postoviposition recorded the highest CAC in both seasons., Thesis. M. Sc. in Innovation in Natural Resources Management, Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus San Luis Potosí, 2019

Carminic acid (CA) can serve as a redox mediator and influence the electron transfer process. CA dosages of 0–5 mg/L were added to anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) biomass. The results illustrated that CA not only reduced the inorganic nitrogen removal efficiency, but also decreased the nitrogen removal rate. The deterioration of nitrogen removal performance was due to the excess production of nitrate-nitrogen. The concentration of extracellular polymeric substances showed a decrease together with a decline in N-acyl-homoserine lactones release. CA addition decreased the activity of anammox bacteria while increasing the nitrifying potential. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed a decrease in anammox functional genes (nirS, hzo, and hzsB) and promotion of the expression of the nxrB gene, which corresponded with a decrease in anammox bacteria activity and the improvement of nitrifying potential. As a result, CA should not be added to anammox biomass.

The shift from artificial to natural ingredients is a rising trend in the food industry. However, natural coloring agents tend to be less stable than their synthetic counterparts when exposed to light, air, changes in pH, and heat. This study compares the photostability of three organic red dyes, Red 40 (allura red AC), betanin and carminic acid, in aqueous and soft drink solutions. The degradation, traced through absorbance spectroscopy, is well fit to first-order kinetics. Two distinct timescales are observed in aqueous solution but only a single, faster decay in the soft drink matrix. Betanin is the least stable dye in both solvent environments and Red 40 exhibits the greatest destabilization in the soft drink solution. Anoxia has different impacts dependent upon both the dye and solvent system. The analysis provides further insight into the degradation mechanisms for these different red dyes and the role of environment on their photostability.

Natural colors particularly animal-based colorants are employed in the field of cosmetics, food, and flavors and also gaining popularity in textiles, due to their soothing nature. In this study, the microwave-assisted extraction of colorant from cochineal insects for dyeing of bio-mordanted silk has been carried out. Acidic, methanolic, and acidified methanol solubilized media were used to extract the natural colorant from cochineal under microwave irradiation for 1–6 min. Bio-mordants have been employed at optimized conditions to make the process greener and sustainable. It is found that acid solubilized extract of pH 4, employed at 55 °C for 55 min containing 5 g/100 mL of Glauber’s salt as exhausting agent has given high color strength onto microwave-treated silk fabric. Suggested ISO standards for colorfastness have revealed that bio-mordants have given excellent color depth and excellent rating of fastness properties, compared with chemical mordants used. It is found that microwave treatment has not only improved the dyeing behavior of colorant extracted from cochineal in acid solubilized medium but also enhanced the color characteristics onto bio-mordanted silk fabric.

Chemical ionization of organic compounds with negligible vapor pressures (VP) is achieved at atmospheric pressure when the proximal sample is exposed to corona discharge. The vapor-phase analyte is produced through a reactive olfaction process, which is determined to include electrostatic charge induction in the proximal condensed-phase sample, resulting in the liberation of free particles. With no requirement for physical contact, a new contained nano-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (nAPCI) source was developed that allowed direct mass spectrometry analysis of complex mixtures at a sample consumption rate less than nmol/min. The contained nAPCI source was applied to analyze a wide range of samples including the detection of 1 ng/mL cocaine in serum and 200 pg/mL caffeine in raw urine, as well as the differentiation of chemical composition of perfumes and beverages. Polar (e.g., carminic acid; estimated VP 5.1 × 10-25 kPa) and nonpolar (e.g., vitamin D2; VP 8.5 × 10-11 kPa) compounds were successfully ionized by the contained nAPCI ion source under ambient conditions, with the corresponding ion types of 78 other organic compounds characterized.

In this study, hybrid pigments based on carminic acid (CA) were synthesized and applied in polymer materials. Modification of aluminum-magnesium hydroxycarbonate (LH) with CA transformed the soluble chromophore into an organic-inorganic hybrid colorant. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to study the structure, composition, and morphology of the insoluble LH/CA colorant. Successful modification of the LH was confirmed by the presence of interactions between the LH matrix and molecules of CA. XPS analysis corroborated the presence of CA complexes with Mg2+ ions in the LH host. The batochromic shift in UV-Vis spectra of the organic-inorganic hybrid colorant was attributed to metal-dye interactions in the organic-inorganic hybrid colorants. Strong metal-dye interactions may also be responsible for the improved solvent resistance and chromostability of the modified LH. In comparison to uncolored ethylene-norbornene copolymer (EN), a modified EN sample containing LH/CA pigment showed lower heat release rate (HRR) and reduced total heat release (THR), providing the material with enhanced flame retardancy.

The scale insect Dactylopius coccus produces high amounts of carminic acid, which has historically been used as a pigment by pre-Hispanic American cultures. Nowadays carmine is found in food, cosmetics, and textiles. Metagenomic approaches revealed that Dactylopius spp. cochineals contain two Wolbachia strains, a betaproteobacterium named Candidatus Dactylopiibacterium carminicum and Spiroplasma, in addition to different fungi. We describe here a transcriptomic analysis indicating that Dactylopiibacterium is metabolically active inside the insect host, and estimate that there are over twice as many Dactylopiibacterium cells in the hemolymph than in the gut, with even fewer in the ovary. Albeit scarce, the transcripts in the ovaries support the presence of Dactylopiibacterium in this tissue and a vertical mode of transmission. In the cochineal, Dactylopiibacterium may catabolize plant polysaccharides, and be active in carbon and nitrogen provisioning through its degradative activity and by fixing nitrogen. In most insects, nitrogen-fixing bacteria are found in the gut, but in this study they are shown to occur in the hemolymph, probably delivering essential amino acids and riboflavin to the host from nitrogen substrates derived from nitrogen fixation.