A review on lycopene uses as a food coloring agent

 A comprehensive Review of Applications of Lycopene as Food Coloring agent in Various Industrial Food Substances. 

Muhammad Idrees

Abstract 

Lycopene is a plant pigment which is nutritive in nature. In nature it is widely available in plant sources by imparting various shades of colors, most typically red and pink. It’s found in fruits like tomatoes, watermelon and other citrus fruits.  The studies showed its antioxidant properties. Therefore, it has been widely applied in food industries as food coloring agent. This literature review relies on comprehensive analysis of applications of lycopene used as food coloring agent.   

Keywords: Lycopene, pigment, red, antioxidant

1. Introduction

Color is one amongst the foremost necessary of food because it enhances the attractiveness and acceptance of food and food merchandises. Lycopene is one them and it is a plant originated carotenoid (mostly red) found in tomato and tomato products. It is not created by human body and should be provided through diet similar to essential amino acids, lycopene is a sturdy antioxidant in the carotenoid family (Aghel N et al., 2011). Similarly it has no vitamin A activity due to the lack of a terminal beta ionone ring (Rao and rao, 2007).

                                                     

Fig1. Lycopene powder

Table 1: contents of Lycopene in numerous foods

S.No

Food

Lycopene /100 g

1

Tomatoes

        12.8mg

2

Pasta Sauce

    12.7 mg

3

Ketchup

         12.1mg

4

Tomato paste

          15.5mg

5

Tomato sauce

       5mg

6

Spaghetti sauce

           16.7mg

Lycopene is a strong antioxidant agent which may protect the food from oxidation and body from different kind of diseases. It is insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvent. The chemical formula of lycopene is C40H55 and weight is 536.9g/mol. Lycopene is organic compound and its structure consist of conjugated double bonds with a long chain and two open rings at each side. It contains 13 double bonds among in carbons. The red color is due to its conjugated double bonds (R Bunghez et al., 2011). 

                           

Fig.2 Chemical structure of lycopene

Lycopene could also be natural moreover as artificial. Artificial lycopene acts as a substitute of natural lycopene. It contains of chiefly all the trans-lycopene with 5-cis-lycopene. Also extra 3.49% cis-isomers is present in it. In short, artificial lycopene is simply sort of a beadlet formulation and natural lycopene could be a tomato concentrate (Chatterjee, 2016).

The utilization of tomato and its extracts (lycopene) as natural additives upgraded nutritional quality, reduced lipid peroxidation and redoubled stability throughout the shelf life of meat products, whereas sustaining or increasing sensory properties and overall satisfactoriness, that converts tomato by-products into a auspicious source of natural additives (Domínguez, et al. 2020).

A study was reported on olive oil over low scale industrial plant. In freezed dried, olive oils and tomato extracts were milled. The purpose of this examination was to yield an olive oil (OO) naturally garnish with antioxidants (carotenoids), Primary results obtained from two distant experiments were secured by 40 kg of Correggiola olives and 60 kg of olive mixtures from completely different cultivars. In each experiments,   the co-milling displayed vital enrichment in carotenoids, particularly in lycopene. It had been determined that the likelihood to attain a new functional food naturally supplemented in antioxidant compounds, which could be publicized as “OO dressing developed in lycopene” (Bendini, et al. 2015).

After obtaining analysis of it, we want to try and do a comparative study on application of lycopene. So I’m writing such a review as a comprehensive study with an objective of application of lycopene as a coloring agent in food products.

2. Literature Review 

Rizk, et al. 2014 studied on the extraction and addition of lycopene in ice cream as a dye and antioxidant. For this purpose, lycopene from tomato peel were took out at pH of 7 to 10  and at 400C to 700C temperature. Moreover the antioxidant activity was examined by Rancimat check at 1100C on sunflower oil by putting lycopene (50-200 ppm). Nevertheless sunflower oil having 50 to 200 ppm recorded high stimulation time than 200 ppm BHT. The gelatin and sucrose were blended with milk and cream at 450C in dynamic agitation, the concoction was pasteurized for 10 minutes at 800C in water bath and then chilled at 40C in ice bath. Then lycopene was added with completely different ratios (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%) that were merged with refrigerated mixes by using blender for two minutes. 

After, all the mixes were ripened at 40C before frozen in refrigerator. The made ice cream was packed in a cup and kept in freezing cabinet for 24h at -180 C before sensory evaluation. The consequence revealed that no significant alterations in total solids, protein, ash between control and ice cream made with completely different ratio of lycopene, however incorporation of lycopene improved the fat content, relative density and weight per gallon but pH declined.

Dehgan, et al. 2010 added tomato derivatives (lycopene) and fiber to conventional starchy extruded snacks could develop their organoleptic  and dietary properties. Materials and extrusion factors, including temperature, modified these properties, but their influence on lycopene content was not identified. During this study, crunchy low density extruded snacks were prepared from corn, wheat and rice, with or while not parched tomato coating or paste powder extruded at temperatures of 140-180 °C. Lycopene content and the physico-chemical properties (expansion, density, hardness, color parameters and percentage of wetness loss) of the extruded products were checked. The conclusion revealed that the due to the incidence of sugars and soluble fiber within the tomato paste (lycopene) that desiccate  wetness that have affect the value of product but the density could rise due to existence of moisture.

Density diminished with the escalation of processing temperature from 1400C and hardness amplified with the amplified of lycopene. Similarly the expansion value was decreased with the incorporation of lycopene. The color parameters i.e redness was improved with the fortification of lycopene but rose in temperature from 140 to 1600C reduced the redness. Due to its weak water holding ability of insoluble fiber present, the moisture content was loss from tomato peel.

Piyush, et all.2016 verified the using of lycopene as a dye in ice cream. For this purpose lycopene was utilized as a natural color in ice cream in order to exchange the synthetic color (sunset yellow colour). The sensory analysis of the ice cream fortified with lycopene was marked out using 9-point Hedonic Scale and commercially available mango flavored sample having sunset yellow color was treated as control. The lycopene extract 0.02-0.4% (w/v) were applied to the simple ice cream mixture and processed further for sensory analysis. After application of lycopene to ice cream the sensory characteristics were increased. 0.1% lycopene in ice cream was marked high score of overall acceptability (7.3) and found to be similar to the commercially sample.

Table 2: Mean sensory score of ice cream prepared by incorporation of lycopene extract

Lycopene use level

Color

Taste

Aroma

Overall acceptability 

Control

7.2

7.25

7.0

            7.25 

0.02

5.1

5.55

5.1

            5.35

 0.04

5.44

5.5

5.4

            5.7 

0.06

6.1

6.0

5.85

            6.31

 0.08

6.0

6.7

6.4

            6.3 

0.1

7.15

7.3

7.1

            7.3 

0.2

5.65

5.8

5.5

            5.85

 0.3

5.6

5.7

5.4

            5.8 

 0.4

4.2

4.2

 3.95

            4.35

kaur, et al. 2011 incorporated the lycopene crystals 20% in butter, 70% in ice-cream, and 50% in mayonnaise. All samples were analyzed for 4 months, for their sensory evaluations during storage. In control samples higher free fatty acids and peroxides were observed as compared to that of lycopene-treated products. Lycopene acts as an antioxidant reduced the development of off-flavor, off-odors, and color changes in lycopene-added samples throughout the storage as it disturbed the chain of free radicals concerned in autoxidation. Results showed that during the 4 months of storage, there were insignificant changes in the samples, in comparison with control market samples. The sensory attributes of all samples were similar to those of control samples. 

Saksomboon, et al., 2020 reported that Tomato powder could be a sensible supply of lycopene, a red color with an antioxidant property. It’s used as a natural dye in low nitrite Chinese sausage. Though, the amount of tomato powder (0-1.4% w/w) affected the product quality in terms of color, aw, pH, texture and sensory aspects. Sensory results showed that look, taste, texture and overall liking scores of Chinese sausage with 0.2% tomato powder were not significantly different as compared to control sample. However, with 0.2% tomato powder (lycopene), remaining nitrite of the Chinese sausage was seen less than the control. The best storage condition at 4°C of the Chinese sausage with 0.2% tomato powder was achieved by vacuum packaging that might be preserve the Chinese sausage up to two weeks.

Muhammad, et al 2017 studied lycopene from tomato was extracted by HPLC to utilize it as natural dye in sunflower oil and spaghetti. Antioxidant activity of lycopene from tomato peel was checked by Rancimat’s test and diphenyl picrylhydrazy by using 50 to 200 mg/kg lycopene in sunflower oil and spaghetti. The antioxidant activity of sunflower oil showed higher in contrast to BHT. At optimum cooking time, its weight and swelling index were persisted same at different level of oil with tomato peel powder in comparison with control. On the opposite hand, spaghetti cooking becomes lowered by rising of carotenoids amount in comparison with control. Organoleptic analysis of spaghetti made from lycopene, discovered maximum score of smell, taste, odors, color, texture and overall acceptability in comparison with control sample.

Soumia, et al. 2019 mentioned that lycopene is a fat-soluble color that has antioxidant property. This study was conducted to show the stability, coloring agent, antioxidant properties of lycopene and its impact on these treatments. Throughout treatments it was detected that the rate of degradation was augmented by increasing pH, temperature and light by increasing the exposure time and also the length of storage. The ratio of antioxidant activity of lycopene was similar to BHT. Where, the extent of crude lycopene extract 1%, 2% and 3% had an antioxidant activities(0.96, 0.98 and 0.99), compared with those of BHT (1.09). In the sensory analysis, the best ratio of natural lycopene added was 1% preferred by the consumer. Storage for beef burger was 12 weeks, the quantityof remained lycopene pigments lessened from 0.47 to 0.416 mg/100gm throughout storage period. Meanwhile, lycopene destruction level increased from 0 to 11.49%.

lycopene pigment were used in completely different concentrations  zero,  0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of lycopene pigment in addition of artificial color 0.1% as management sample to increase beef  burger color and therefore the results indicated that the lightness values (L*) were considerably differed. Storage period at zero-time, lightness (L*) of beef burger with lycopene pigment had low L*price, whereas the meat burger while not lycopene pigment perceived to have high (L*) price. Once 3 months of storage, showed that beef burger with lycopene pigment had a significant high in (L*) values compared to regulate sample. The obtained results discovered that the meat burger with lycopene pigment had a significant distinction in red value (a*). In fact, red value (a*) diminished once the (lycopene pigment) concentrations were declined.

Chattarjee, 2016 wrote in his article that the synthetic lycopene is meant to be used as a food dye and food additive. He displayed that artificial lycopene is employed in several merchandise i.e baked merchandise, candy, breakfast cereals, soups, sauces and fruits and vegetable juices. The employment levels of lycopene depend on its mean operate and will vary from 2mg/liter in drinking water to 130mg/kg in able to eat cereals.

        

Table 3: Meant uses and use level of artificial lycopene

  Food class

Food Use level(mg/kg)

Dry milk

    

  30

Yoghurt

 20-40

Fruit juice 

  4-20

Bottled water 

   2-15

Tea, able to drink

   3-15

Fermented milk beverages

    30

Margarine like spreads

20

Fruit snacks

15

3.Conclusion

Dehgan, et al. 2010 studied on addition of lycopene and fiber to conventional starchy extruded snacks to boost their sensory and nutritional properties. Piyush, et all. 2016  studied on the treatment of lycopene as a colorant in ice cream. kaur, et al. 2011 incorporated the lycopene crystals in butter (20%), ice-cream (70%), and mayonnaise (50 %) and were analyzed for his sensory characteristics throughout storage for four months. Saksomboon, et al 2020 , used the lycopene as a natural coloring agent in reduced nitrite Chinese sausage. Once the analysis of the given researches in terms of lycopene as a food dye and antioxidant as compared with management sample, it’s showed that the sensory properties and antioxidant activities were multiplied and that were kind of like to those of management samples and also the consumer marked a high liking score of those samples. 

4. Future potential direction

As we tend to reviewed completely different papers and articles, within  which some folks were used lycopene as an antioxidant and a few were used it as an coloring agent in a food merchandise. Likewise, some used it for the aim to extend the organoleptic properties of food. Thus it showed by incorporating it into a food, the first, it preserves the merchandise due to its antioxidant property and therefore the second it imparts and enhances the colour of food. Thus it is determined that lycopene is that the best additive in terms of color and preservative. We will have to use it a lot because it’s not a health venturous and we can utilize it in process of food.

5. References 

[1] Aghel, N., Ramezani, Z., & Amirfakhrian, S. (2011). Isolation and qualification of carotenoid from tomato cultivated in dezoufoul,IRAN. Jandishapur Journal of natural pharmaceutical merchandise 6(1):9-15.

[2]  Rao AV, Rao LG. Carotenoids and human health. Pharmacol Res. 2007;55(3):207-16.

[3] Bunghez, i. R., raduly, m., doncea, s., aksahin, i., & ion, r. M. (2011). Lycopene determination in tomatoes by different spectral techniques (uv-vis, ftir and hplc). Digest journal of nanomaterials & biostructures (djnb), 6(3).

[4] Chatterjee, B. (2016). Artificial lycopene: the future but unaware fact. Int. J. Clin. Biomed. Res, 2, 14-18.

[5] Domínguez, R., Gullón, P., Pateiro, M., Munekata, P. E., Zhang, W., & Lorenzo, J. M. (2020). Tomato as potential source of natural additives for meat industry. A Review. Antioxidants, 9(1), 73.

[6] Bendini, A., Di Lecce, G., Valli, E., Barbieri, S., Tesini, F., & Gallina Toschi, T. (2015). Olive oil enriched in lycopene from tomato by-product through a co-milling process. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 66(4), 371-377.

 [7] Rizk, E. M., El-Kady, A. T., & El-Bialy, A. R. (2014). Charactrization of carotenoids (lyco-red) extracted from tomato peels and its uses as natural colorants and antioxidants of ice cream. Annals of Agricultural Sciences, 59(1), 53-61.

[8] Dehghan-Shoar, Z., Hardacre, A. K., & Brennan, C. S. (2010). The physico-chemical characteristics of extruded snacks enriched with tomato lycopene. Food chemistry, 123(4), 1117-1122.

[9] JADAV, P., AKBARI, S., & BHATT, H. (2016). Studies on Lycopene Fortified Ice Cream. Advances, 108.

[10] Kaur, D., Wani, A. A., Singh, D. P., & Sogi, D. S. (2011).life enhancement of butter, ice-cream, and mayonnaise by addition of lycopene. International Journal of Food Properties, 14(6), 1217-1231.

[11] Saksomboon, K., Meemookich, S., Kaewsaad, T., Limroongreungrat, K., & Theprugsa, P.(2016). Effect of tomato powder on quality of Chinese sausage.

[12] Waqas, M., Shad, A. A., Bashir, O., & Iqbal, M. (2017). Extraction and Utilization of Tomato Carotenoids as Antioxidant and Natural Colorants in Sunflower Oil and Spaghetti. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 33(2).

[13] درویش, س. م. ا., سومیة محمد ابراهیم, عبدالحکیم, حسن إسماعیل, عبدالرحمن, مخلص أحمد محمد, ... & حمادة. (2019). Extraction and Utilization of Tomato Peels Lycopene as Antioxidant and Natural Colorants in Beef Burger استخلاص واستخدام لیکوبین قشور الطماطم کمضاد للأکسدة وکملون طبیعی فی البیف برجر. Journal of Food and Dairy Sciences, 10(8), 257-264.‎