Extraction of red pigment from safflower and its encapsulation to increase stability

Abstract

Carthamine, a natural pigment from Carthamus tinctorius, is widely utilized in the pharmaceutical and dey industries {1}. This study amied to extract the red pigment from safflower and stabilize it through encapsulation techniques. The extraction process involved removal of the yellow pigment carthamidin in first and followed by extraction of Carthamine using a sodium carbonate solution. Due to the high sensitivity of Carthamine, the extracted compound rapidly degraded under laboratory conditions, leading to a noticeable loss of color {2}. To overcome this challenge, cellulose was incorporated to form a Carthamine-cellulose complex, intended to enhance pigment stability. Comprehensive analyses using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR and HPLC were conducted to assess the outcomes. Findings revealed that the carthamine-cellulose complex (CCC) significantly improved carthamine stability, attributed to the formation of hydrogen bonds between carthamine and the hydroxyl groups of cellulose, which restricted molecular rotation. Notably, the stabilized pigment demonstrated minimal degradation over a six-month period under laboratory conditions and maintained its recognizable color even at elevated pH levels up to 8.