Radical scavenging water soluble yellow colourant turmeric formulation

Turmeric (roots of Curcuma longa - Zingiberaceae), has been used in traditional medicinal formulations for various treatments which include jaundice and other liver ailments, ulcers, parasitic infections, skin diseases, sprains, inflammation of the joints, cold and flu symptoms. In the present invention turmeric oleoresin, a gummy substance subjected to solvent extraction for removal of the volatile oil as well as the fixed oil to enrich radical scavenging compounds viz., the curcuminoids. The resultant product, called as Curcumin Enriched Turmeric Oleoresin (CETO) powder, is free flowing in nature and brownish - yellow in colour. It is dissolved in a suitable solvent and converted into water-soluble yellow colourant formulation using food additives. The resultant formulation possesses 65-70% radical scavenging activity at 100 ppm and also contains curcuminoids in the range of 10-16%. Hence, this formulation could be used as a nutraceutical as well as natural coloring agent in food products.