| abstract |
A norbixin complex with a water-soluble or water-dispersible branched-chain or cyclic polysaccharide or a water-soluble or water-dispersible protein, which will not precipitate upon standing in water, which gives an essentially stable bright reddish or magenta solution in water, and from which complex norbixin cannot be removed by centrifugation, as well as a process for preparing such a complex of norbixin and a substrate, selected from a water-soluble or water-dispersible branched-chain or cyclic polysaccharide and a water-soluble or water-dispersible protein, by contacting the substrate and norbixin in an aqueous solution at an alkaline pH, e.g., above about 8.5, at which pH the norbixin is present in its water-soluble orange alkaline form, and then acidifying to drop the pH to below about 7.7, preferably below about 6.8, thereby complexing the norbixin in its neutral to acidic reddish or magenta form with the substrate, are disclosed. |