Biochemical principles of the production process for obtaining phycoerythrin (a food dye) from marine alga gracilaria are developed. Optimal conditions for destruction of algae and extraction of the dye (the composition of extractant, its concentration, pH, the temperature and time of treatment) are determined. General recommendations are given for creation of pilot production. The method for destruction of marine red algal biomass based on the principle of mechanical destruction of the cell wall of algae and on the freezing of the extracting agent with homogenization of algae is approved and recommended. To obtain and preliminary purify the phycoerythrin extract the successive filtration and centrifugation of the destroyed biomass of algae and extract of phycoerythrin are advanced. The membrane filtration and deposition using the 45–50% aqueous solution of ethyl alcohol or acetone is suggested for final purification and concentration of the extract. The suggested method for production of food dye from gracilaria allows us to obtain pure phycoerythrin of the intensive red-crimson color, which may be widely used in food and perfume industries as food supplements, dyes and also in the perfume, medical industries as fluorescent markers for diagnostics and in radiobiology.

Keywords: marine algae, gracilaria, phycoerythrin, food dye, production process

Full text: PDF 593K