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Negative health effects linked to synthetic colorants in cosmetics, foods, and medicines have prompted the need for safe alternatives to traditional dyes. Two red color additives have been approved for consumption by the FDA – No. 3 and No. 40 – which are used in beverages, cereal, gelatins, icings, dairy products, and more (FDA, 2018). In an effort to develop a safe, natural alternative to Red Dyes No. 3 and No. 40, a unique strain of red-leafed sorghum plants is being used by RedLeaf Biologics to derive red pigments (figure 1). The strain was identified when researching sweet sorghum at the University of Kentucky; through cross breeding the red splotches found on one plant evolved into a crop with fully red leaves.
Sorghum was sought after because of its stability against temperature, pH, and light as well as its high antioxidant capacities and significant pigment concentrations (RedLeaf, 2021). The amount of pigment in a plant is dependent of the flavonoid content; this sorghum strain has a flavonoid content of almost 1,500 mg per 100 g of extract, while traditional sources, such as blueberries, goji berries, and acai, have less than 250 mg per 100 g of extract (figure 2).
Figure 1. Red sorghum leaves.
Figure 2. Sorghum and other pigment sources anti-oxidant and flavonoid contents.
RedLeaf works with local Kentucky farmers to grow and harvest sorghum. RedLeaf has used two successful harvesting methods: manual labor and a forage harvester. Manual labor was expensive and time consuming; a team of six workers harvested one acre in 18 hours. Hand harvesting of sorghum leaves accounted for 60% of RedLeaf’s production costs. The forage harvester harvested one acre in 10 minutes, however it produced a mix of leaves and stalk which led to a loss in yield as only so much stalk can be incorporated into the drying process. Other previous attempts included a wheat harvester with serrated rolls, a sugar cane harvester, and a method of thrashing the leaves off the stalk, none of which were successful.
The goal of the project is to develop a mechanical system capable of harvesting the leaves from the sorghum while leaving the stalks in the field. This one-step process will save RedLeaf time and money while eliminating the need for sorting the leaves from the stalks post-processing. The harvested product will consist of 60% leaves and 40% to ensure proper drying of the leaves. A simple and efficient harvesting method will allow RedLeaf to expand their production.
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Sources:
FDA. (2018). Color Additives Questions and Answers for Consumers. Food and Drug Association. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/color-additives-questions-and-answers-consumers
Kobylewski, S., Jacobson, M.F. (2010). Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks. Center for Science in the Public Interest. Retrieved from https://cspinet.org/sites/default/files/attachment/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf
RedLeaf. (2021). RedLeaf Biologics. Retrieved from https://redleafbiologics.com/beauty/
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