JINJU, Dec. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — The Apple Use Research Institute, which operates under the umbrella of the Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, said Thursday that it had developed a reddish natural pigment extraction and recycling method using wasted apple peel and crab apples.
There has been little use in the past for the reddish natural pigments called anthocyanins that are contained in apple peel.
Crab apples play the role of a pollinizer to help the cultivation species bear fruits. They are planted together with the cultivation species in a ratio of 1:9.
Nonetheless, most crab apples are wasted without being used as edible fruits due to their sour and astringent taste.
According to the study conducted by the institute, red and black apples among cultivation species and Arnold species with reddish skin and flesh among pollinizer species are the most suitable for the creation of natural pigments.
These natural pigments can be used as additives (diluting agents) not only for processed foods with low acidity but also for supplementary health foods and medicines. They also can be used as a raw material for color glow cosmetics such as blushers and lip sticks.
Image Credit: Pixabay / Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services / photonews@koreabizwire.com
