Project's information

Project's title Investigate the methods to produce natural colorants for applications in food technology
Project’s code KHCBHH.02/20-22
Research hosting institution Center for Research and Technology Transfer
Project leader’s name Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Tung
Project duration 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2022
Project’s budget 1,500 million VND
Classify Excellent
Goal and objectives of the project
- Investigate the methods to extract and/or isolate several types of colorants (red, yellow, and green) from plant-based sources readily available in Vietnam, and then establish corresponding procedures to manufacture these food colorant products on laboratory scale. 
- Investigate the properties of food colorant products manufactured, and comparing them to relevant domestic and international standards, thus provide suitable application directions for these products in the food and beverage industry of Vietnam.
- Manufacture samples for food colorant products (red, yellow, and green) derived from plant-based sources readily available in Vietnam, with properties satisfy relevant domestic and international standards, and estimated production costs 10 – 20% than similar imported products.
Main results
- Theoretical results:
+ 03 technical processes for the extraction of natural colorants from plant-based environmental friendly sources, at the laboratory-scale of 100 grams per batch (for three basic colors: red, yellow, and green)
+ 150 grams of natural food colorant product – red color from Red sugar beet extract
+ 150 grams of natural food colorant product – yellow color from Gardenia fruit extract
+ 150 grams of natural food colorant product – green color from Lá dong extract
+ 02 scientific article published on international journals indexed in SCI-E
+ 01 scientific article published on national journals
- Trainning results: 01 Master degree has been granted
Novelty and actuality and scientific meaningfulness of the results

This project has established the processes to extract natural colorants from plant-based environmental friendly sources, at the laboratory-scale of 100 grams per batch for three basic colors: red, yellow, and green. The resulting natural colorants have high potential for applications in the food and beverage industry, with good coloring power and good compatibility with various common food products such as: steamed flour bread, agar jelly, v.v. These natural colorants are expected to be widely distributed in the domestic market in the near future, replacing similar imported products which have been proven to have many potential risks to the health of consumers.

Products of the project
- Scientific papers in referred journals:
+ Nguyen Ngoc Tung, Le Thi Tam, Do Hoang Anh, Tran Thi Hong Hanh, Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Nguyen The Cuong, Tran Hong Quang (2022) Antimicrobial phenolic metabolites from the aerial parts of Orthosiphon aristatus. Phytochemistry Letters, 52, 49-53.
+ Tung Ngoc Nguyen, Le Thi Tam, Huong Pham Thi Mai, Hanh Tran Thi Hong, Thi Ngoc Ninh, Dang Viet Cuong, Cuong Nguyen Xuan, Hong Quang Tran (2022) Antimicrobial secondary metabolites from the aerial parts of Perilla frutescens. Natural Product Research.
+ Nguyen Ngoc Tung, Le Thi Tam, Pham Thi Mai Huong, Nguyen The Cuong, Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Tran Hong Quang, Tran Thi Hong Hanh (2022) Flavonoids from Knema squamulosa W.J. de Wilde and their antimicrobial activity. Journal of Medicinal Materials, 27(2), 82-86.
- Patents:
- Technological products:
+ 150 grams of natural food colorant product – red color from Red sugar beet extract
+ 150 grams of natural food colorant product – yellow color from Gardenia fruit extract
+ 150 grams of natural food colorant product – green color from Lá dong extract
+ These products are currently being securely stored at Center for Research and Technology transfer, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology
- Other products (if applicable): 01 Master degree has been granted
Images of project
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