# US 5,704,950 A · Process for manufacturing food grade colors from flowers, typically hibiscus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,950 A - Document ID: US5704950A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/713,164 - Filed: 1996-09-12 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1995-09-15 - Inventors: Dipten Putatunda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704950A ## CPC - C09B 61/00: Dyes of natural origin prepared from natural sources {, e.g. vegetable sources} - A23L 5/43: using naturally occurring organic dyes or pigments, their artificial duplicates or their derivatives - B01D 11/0219: {Fixed bed of solid material} - C09B: ORGANIC DYES OR CLOSELY-RELATED COMPOUNDS FOR PRODUCING DYES {, e.g. PIGMENTS}; MORDANTS; LAKES (fermentation or enzyme using processes to synthesise a desired chemical compound C12P) - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A process for the manufacture of food colors from hibiscus flowers comprising the steps of removing the calyx and the androceum of half bloom flowers; washing the flowers; and storing the flowers in a pre-cleaned stainless vessel; heating the flowers with water in a decoction chamber to at least 65 degrees to 70 degrees celsius; preparing a 5 percent w/v solution of an alkaline amino acid in demineralized water; adding the alkaline amino acid solution to the decoction chamber containing the flowers until the pH in the aqueous phase is 7.5 to 8; heating the mixture in the decoction chamber till the temperature of the aqueous phase exceeds boiling point and steam is generated with pressure of at least 1.2 kg/cm; continuing the heating process for 1 to 2 hours; cooling the solution in the decoction chamber to 20 degrees celsius and releasing the pressure; transferring the solution which is a colored solution so obtained from the decoction chamber to a closed stainless steel vessel; adding an acidic amino acid to make the solution mildly acidic; maintaining the acidic colored solution under nitrogen blanketting for 5 to 6 hours for maturation at 20 degrees celsius; filtering the matured extract; dissolving 15 percent w/v in a polysaccharide such as, lactose and/or maltodextrin in the filtrate; spray drying the filtered mature extract in a spray drier; and sieving the dried powder so obtained from the spray drier to obtain a food color. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers comprising the steps of removing the calyx and the androceum of half bloom flowers; washing the flowers; and storing the flowers in a pre-cleaned stainless vessel; heating the flowers with water in a decoction chamber from at least 65 degrees to 70 degrees Celsius; preparing a 5 percent w/v solution of an alkaline amino acid in demineralised water; adding the alkaline amino acid solution to the decoction chamber containing the flowers until the pH in the aqueous phase is 7.5 to 8; heating the mixture in the decoction chamber till the temperature of the aqueous phase exceeds boiling point and steam is generated with pressure of at least 1.2 kg/cm; continuing the heating step for 1 to 2 hours; cooling the solution in the decoction chamber to 20 degrees Celsius and releasing the pressure; transferring the solution which is a coloured solution so obtained from the decoction chamber to a closed stainless steel vessel; adding an acidic amino acid to make the solution acidic; maintaining the acidic coloured solution under nitrogen blanketting for 5 to 6 hours for maturation at 20 degrees Celsius; filtering the matured solution; dissolving a 15 percent w/v solution of a polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of, lactose and maltodextrin in the filtrate; spray drying the filtrate in a spray drier; and sieving the dried powder so obtained from the spray drying step to obtain a food colour. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the flowers are washed with dimineralised water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the water in which the flowers are heated in the decoction chamber is demineralised. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the alkaline amino acid is D L Arginine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the temperature of the filtrate in the spray drier is maintained at 70 to 75 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the acidic amino acid is D L cysteine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A process for the manufacture of food colours from hibiscus flowers as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the spray dried powder is sieved through a mesh having mesh size of 60 mesh.