The visible light spectrum lies in the range of
400 (violet) to 700 (red) nanometers (nm),
Within this region, the eye is most sensitive to
differences in color in the green-yellow
region (520-580 nm). The color perceived by
the eye from an illuminated object depends on
the spectral composition of the light source,
the chemical and physical characteristics of
fan object, the nature of the back ground
illumination and the spectral sensitivity ofthe
eye viewing the object (Hahlbrock ef al.,
1976)
tole in our lives
in textile, paint,
cosmetics, ete
etic and delightful
function and can
teristics. or mask
Eally also, the color
e our lives viz, red
pulse rate and
Concentrated
‘Monascus purpureus
red yeast rice
extracts are
recommended as 9
dietary supplement
for green color
environment, and
Orange increases
Latin origin and
fin the sense of
later extended to
ech as makeup. In
BAzes, the word was
iverse plant and
animals or plants,
Beside cells or cell
Bs on tissues, or
Muids. The modem
word pigment has
‘century, meaning a
'small particles and
uble in the applied
to its colorant,
ties (Ullmann,
apply well to the
Such as titanium
but for soluble
dyestuffs, usually organic compounds, the
expressions dye, colorant or simply color (as
in food cotors) is more adequate. The terms
Pigment and color are usually applied to food
coloring matters, sometimes indistinctly. The
color of each pigment is associated to
absorption or reflection of light in determined
wavelengths, which is a characteristic of the
pigment molecule. White light includes
Photons with all possible wavelengths
between 400 and 700 nm. When whit light is
shined on the molecule, the molecule absorbs
the colored photon. The absorbed color is not
transmitted through the molecule or reflected
by the molecule. This color has been taken
away from white light, ie, subtracted from
white light. The color we see, how a molecule
appears, is what remains after the subtraction
called the complement color.
for reducing serum
cholesterol and
Mpoproteins. This is
due to the presence
of lovastatin as an
ingredient in the
pigments produced
by Monascus.
Wavel (Complement color]
st
| of Absorbed light | (what we see..) |
400 (violet) Greenish
450 (blue) |
500 (blue-green) | Red
570 (yellow-green)| Violet
[580( Deep blue
{600 (orange) Blue
(650 (red) | Green |
Food Technology and Color
Acceptability of color in a given food in tur
is influenced by as diverse factors as cultural,
geographical and sociological aspects of the
Population. Indeed, color and other eating
habits are viewed as a type of culinary
anthropology and indigenous to specific
Febuary 205 O17