Question:
The annatto colour used in cheese making is
The annatto colour used in cheese making is
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Remember the solubility difference: Bixin is oil-soluble and used for butter, while Norbixin is water-soluble and binds to casein, making it the standard choice for coloring cheese.
Updated On: Aug 7, 2026
- Carotene
- Xanthophyll
- Bixin
- Norbixin
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Annatto is a natural orange-yellow food colorant extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana).
The seeds contain two primary carotenoid pigments: bixin and norbixin.
These pigments differ in their chemical structure, which determines their solubility in oil and water.
The choice of pigment for coloring cheese depends on its affinity for the aqueous casein phase versus the lipid phase of milk.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Bixin is the oil-soluble carotenoid pigment found in the outer coat of annatto seeds.
It is chemically characterized as a dicarboxylic acid monomethyl ester.
Because of its lipid solubility, bixin is used to color fat-based products like butter, margarine, and spreads.
Norbixin is a water-soluble carotenoid pigment produced by the alkaline hydrolysis of bixin, which removes the methyl ester group.
In cheese making, the colorant must be added directly to the cheese milk before coagulation.
Water-soluble norbixin is used because it disperses evenly throughout the milk serum and binds specifically to the casein proteins during curd formation.
This ensures that the yellow-orange color is retained in the cheese curd, rather than being lost in the fat phase or washed away in the whey.
Therefore, norbixin is the specific annatto pigment used in cheese making.
Step 3: Final Answer
The annatto color used in cheese making is norbixin.
Annatto is a natural orange-yellow food colorant extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana).
The seeds contain two primary carotenoid pigments: bixin and norbixin.
These pigments differ in their chemical structure, which determines their solubility in oil and water.
The choice of pigment for coloring cheese depends on its affinity for the aqueous casein phase versus the lipid phase of milk.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Bixin is the oil-soluble carotenoid pigment found in the outer coat of annatto seeds.
It is chemically characterized as a dicarboxylic acid monomethyl ester.
Because of its lipid solubility, bixin is used to color fat-based products like butter, margarine, and spreads.
Norbixin is a water-soluble carotenoid pigment produced by the alkaline hydrolysis of bixin, which removes the methyl ester group.
In cheese making, the colorant must be added directly to the cheese milk before coagulation.
Water-soluble norbixin is used because it disperses evenly throughout the milk serum and binds specifically to the casein proteins during curd formation.
This ensures that the yellow-orange color is retained in the cheese curd, rather than being lost in the fat phase or washed away in the whey.
Therefore, norbixin is the specific annatto pigment used in cheese making.
Step 3: Final Answer
The annatto color used in cheese making is norbixin.
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