Amaranths

Amaranth starch has very small and very uniform granules, the majority being less than 1 micrometer in diameter. Starch isolated from two Amaranthus species was compared and found to contain approximately 90% amylopectin and 10% amylose.164 Those authors prepared distarch phosphates and found that A. hypochondriacus starch responded more to crosslinking, as evidenced by reduced swelling power at 85°C and an increased gelatinization temperature range than did A. cruentus starch. 

The choice of starch can affect mouthfeel. Tapioca starch, highly stabilized products, and unmodified waxy maize starch are thought to contribute more mouth coating and prolonged residence on the palate. Starch hydrolyzates are used for mouthfeel 

The available processing equipment will affect starch choice. Without cooking equipment, instant starches will be used instead of cook-up starches. Similarly, where heat treatment or shear after cooking is severe, more crosslinking is required. Tapioca and potato starches are more shear-sensitive and to be avoided where processing is abusive. 

Starch choice is affected by formulation. Increased competition for water (e.g. by sugars) will require a less crosslinked or more stabilized starch to be used. Acidic formulations will require more crosslinking. The manner in which the food is to be distributed is also important regarding the base choice and amount of stabilization. Frozen or refrigerated distribution requires greater monosubstitution for texture and appearance stabilization. The following overview of starch use in specific applications illustrates how food starches are chosen. 

CA Index Name 2,7-Naphthalenedisulfonic acid, 3-hydroxy-4-[2-(4-sulfo-l-naphthalenyl)diazenyl]-, sodium salt (1 3) 

Amaranth Supra Hexacert Red No. 2 Hexacol Amaranth B Extra Hidacid Amaranth Hidacid Amaranth 21-6008 Hispacid Red AM Japan Food Red No. 2 Japan Red 2 Japan Red No. 2 Java Amaranth KCA Foodcol Amaranth A Kayaku Amaranth Kayaku Food Colour Red No. 2 Kiton Ruhine S L Red 3 L Red Z 3050 Lissamine Amaranth AC Maple Amaranth Naphthol Red LZS Naphthol Red S Naphthol Red S Cone. Specially Pure Naphthol Red S Specially Pure Naphthol Red SI Necol Amaranth Neklacid Red A PuriColor Red ARE 27 Rakuto Amaranth Red No. 2 Red dye no. 2 Ritacid Red G Rouge Solid E S-Azo Ruhine San-ei Amaranth Sandal Amaranth I Shikiso Amaranth Solar Red O Takaoka Amaranth Tertracid Red A Toyo Amaranth Triacid Amaranth A Trisodium salt of 1-(4-sulfo-1 -naphthylazo)-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid Usacert Red No. 2 Victoria Ruhine O Victory Scarlet Water Red 176574 Whortleberry Red Wool Bordeaux 6RK Wool Red 40F 

Physical Form Dark reddish-brown powder 

Solubility Soluble in water slightly soluble in ethanol 

Biological Applications Detecting membrane-potential change treating acquired resistance to GABAergic (ARG) agents  

---

Another likely commercial starch is that from amaranth seed, an expanding crop for food use, particularly its flour. Amaranth starch granules (1—3 micrometers dia) have potential for numerous food appHcations, one of which is as a fat replacer because of their small size and especially after minor surface hydrolysis with a-amylase or glucoamylase to produce a fluffy surface (see Fat replacers). 

Continuous free flow electrophoresis has been used for the separation of biopolymers (e.g. ovalbumin and lysozyme) [20] as well as smaller inorganic species (e.g. [Co sepulchrate)] and [Co (CN)g] ) [21]. Sample processing rates of 15 mg h were reported for a mixture of Amaranth (MW 804) and Patent Blue VF (MW 1159) [22]. 

A similar reaction occurs with antimony(III) compounds. The determination of antimony(III) in the presence of tartrate is not very satisfactory with an immiscible solvent to assist in indicating the end point amaranth, however, gives excellent results. 

Alternatively, in this and all subsequent titrations with 0.025M potassium iodate, a 250 mL conical flask may be used and the carbon tetrachloride or chloroform indicator replaced by 0.5 mL amaranth or xylidine ponceau indicator, which is added after most of the iodine colour has disappeared from the reaction mixture (see Section 10.125). 

Amaranth — A great potential has been forecasted for grain and leaf amaranth both for nutritional and ornamental purposes. " The dye of amaranth leaves (Ama-... 

Guzman-Maldonado, S.H., and Paredes-Lopez, O., Functional products of plants indigenous to Latin America amaranth, quinoa, common beans, and botanicals, in Functional Foods Biochemical and Processing Aspects, Mazza, G., Ed., Technomic Publishing, Lancaster, PA, 1998, 293. 

Teutonico, R.A. and Knorr, D., Amaranth composition, properties, and applications of a rediscovered food crop. Food TechnoL, 39, 49, 1985. 

Betalains have recently regained importance due to continuing interest in natural food colorants. Currently, red beet is the only food source commercially exploited, although amaranth, Swiss chard, yellow beet, and cactus fruit represent promising... 

Besides their interesting color application values, betalainic plants are also worthwhile from a nutritional standpoint. Research on this topic has recently been resumed with great scientific vigor in both in vitro and in vivo studies on red beets, amaranth, red-colored Swiss chard, red-violet pitahayas, and especially cactus pears. ° In the future, betalainic color crops will be benchmarked because of their pigment structure and quantity and also because of the individual and synergistic activities of their components such as colorless phenolics, amino compounds, peptides, proteins, and hydrocolloids. 

Penman, K.G. et al.. Bilberry adulteration using the food dye amaranth, J. Agric. Food Chem., 54, 7378, 2006. 

In a recently pnblished example of betaxanthin analyses in a complex food matrix, 19 betaxanthins were assigned in yellow Swiss chard petioles. Mass spectrometric measnrements are even more helpfnl if nnknown betacyanin structures are to be elucidated. While betacyanic plant materials such as red beet and amaranth may still be commercially available for coinjection experiments and comparison with samples under investigation, it may be an easier task to first optimize pigment separation followed by mass spectrometric measurements. 

As an example, five different synthetic colorants (Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow, Ponceau 4R, Amaranth, and Brilliant Blue FCF) from drinks and candies were separated on a polyamide adsorbent at pH 4, eluted with an alkaline-ammonia solution. By another method, 13 synthetic food colorants were isolated from various foods using specific adsorption on wool. After elution with 10% ammonia solution and gentle warming, an absorption spectrum of the resulting colorant solution was recorded, compared to the reference spectra of pure colorants, and identified by linear regression analysis. ... 

Solid phase spectrophotometry proved to be an appropriate technique for the determination of colorants in foods dne to its simplicity, selectivity, reasonable cost, low detection limits, and use of conventional instrnmentation. This simple, sensitive, and inexpensive method allowed simnltaneons determinations of Snnset Yellow FCF (SY), Quinoline Yellow, and their nnsnlfonated derivatives [Sndan I (SUD) and Quinoline Yellow Spirit Soluble (QYSS)] in mixtnres. Mixtnres of food colorants containing Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow, Ponceau 4R, Amaranth, and Brilliant Blue were simultaneously analyzed with Vis spectrophotometry without previous chemical separation. ... 

Direct and derivative spectrophotometric and IP-RP-HPLC methods were applied to identify and determine synthetic dyes and follow their degradation processes. " The dyes considered were Tartrazine (E 102), Quinoline Yellow (E 104), Sunset Yellow (E 110), Carmosine (E 122), Amaranth (E 123), New Coccine (E 124), Patent Blue Violet (E 131), and Brillant Blue ECE (E 133). All are considered representative additives for soft drinks. 

Cruces-Bianco, C., Garcia-Campana, A.M., and Ales-Barrero, F., Derivative spectrophotometric resolution of mixtures of the food colourants Tartrazine, Amaranth and Curcumin in a micellar medium, Talanta, 43, 1019, 1996. 

Ni, Y. and Bai, 1., Simnltaneons determination of Amaranth and Snnset Yellow by ratio derivative voltammetry, Talanta, 44, 105, 1997. 

Azo dyes Allura Red AC, Amaranth, Azorubine, Brilliant Black BN, Brown FK, Brown HT, Lithol Rubine BK, Ponceau 4R, Red 2G, Sunset Yellow, Tartrazine Triarylmethane (triphenylmethane) dyes Brilliant Blue FCF, Fast green FCF, Green S, Patent Blue V... 

Amaranth (E 123, Cl Food Red 9) is a mono azo dye, with the chemical name trisodium 3-hydroxy-4(4-sulfonato-l-naphtylazo)-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonate) (or trisodium 2-hydroxy-l-(4-sulfonato-l-napthylazo) naphthalene-3,6-disulfonate). The calcium and potassium salts are also permitted. Amaranth is a reddish-brown powder or granules, soluble in water, sparingly soluble in ethanol, with a maximum absorption in water at 520 nm (Ei " = 440). It has been banned in the US since 1976. " Amaranth can be used also as a dye for cosmetics, synthetic fibers, leather, papers, and some plastics. 

In a search for allelopathic agents from common weeds, Amaranthus palmerl S. Wats (Palmer amaranth) and Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Louisiana annual ragweed) have been analysed for their organic natural products. From A. palmerl phytol, chondrlllasterol, vanillin, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxynitrobenzene and 2,6-dimethoxy- benzoquinone were isolated. From the roots of Ambrosia artemisiifolia four polyacetylenes, a mixture of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, methyl caffeate, and a mixture of 8-sitosterol and stlgmasterol were obtained. 

Amaranthus palmerl S. Wats., commonly referred to as Palmer amaranth, is a common weed belonging to the family Amaranthaceae. 

---