Canarium ovatum engl. (Pili) exocarp crude extract as functional food colorant incorporated in yogurt developed product

Abstract

Canarium ovatum Engl. (Pili), a locally grown plant in the Philippines, bears highly pigmented fruits. In this research study, the deeply pigmented fruit exocarp was evaluated for phytochemical contents, functional properties and possible application to yogurt as a colorant. Spectrophotometric analysis of the extract revealed high phenolic and flavonoid content, particularly anthocyanins (17.5 mg CE/g DW of the sample). The pigment extract also exhibited potential antioxidant activities as determined by DPPH and FRAP assays and did not show any inhibitory activity against gut normal flora, Escherichia coli, but also failed to express cytotoxic activity against HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Stability tests showed decreased redness with increasing temperature or pH. The pigment exhibited excellent color retention in yogurt during the two-week storage at 4oC. Sensory evaluation showed a slight difference in over-all acceptability between natural and synthetic-colored yogurt. Thus, Pili exocarp extract can be used as a functional food colorant in yogurt.