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Thearubigins (TRs) is a type of heterogeneous mixture from black tea, usually accounts for 60–70% of dry substance of black tea infusion. It is an important tea pigment for food industry and also contributes much to the sensory properties and biological activities of black tea. TRs therefore have a practical application value for the development of tea processing, natural food colorants and healthy products. The review paper summarizes the current knowledge from the perspectives of formation mechanism, chemical structure, sensory characteristics and health benefits of TRs. Through the oxidation mechanism and products of flavan-3-ols, the primary characteristics and reaction pathways of catechin, gallocatechin and galloylated catechin are profiled. Furthermore, the sensory properties and biological activities of TRs are comprehensively discussed. Gallocatechins containing vic -trihydroxy are more liable to lose protons and produce o -quinone, and subsequently condense through B–B ring to form dehydrotheasinensin, theasinensin, dehydrotheasinensin AQ in a pathway, or form bicyclo[3.2.1]octane to produce theacitrins, theacitrinins and proepitheaflagallin in another pathway. Furthermore, the oxidation of a couple of catechol- and pyrogallol-type catechins produce theaflavins (TFs), theanaphthoquinone and theanaphththeaflavins. Catechin can undergo nucleophilic reaction to form polymers, while catechin gallate also forms polymers through condensing consecutive benzotropolone moieties. The ratio of TRs to TFs is a critical index for color and brightness of black tea infusion, thus regulating enzymatic oxidation of tea polyphenols is not only an effective strategy in high-quality black tea processing, but also provides more options for tea pigment producing in beverage industry. • Formation mechanism of thearubigins is profiled. • Basic units of thearubigins are clarified. • Thearubigins health benefits are discussed. • Sensory properties of thearubigins are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry anthocyanin extract (MAE) is a valuable natural pigment with potential applications in the food industry. However, its storage stability remains a challenge, as it is prone to degradation over time. To tackle this issue, the present study focuses on investigating the efficacy of utilizing whey protein isolate (WPI) and ferulic acid (FA) in combination at pH 6.3. The addition of FA reduced the ΔE values and the degradation of anthocyanin within MAE solution in the presence of WPI. Notably, the combination of WPI and FA exhibited a remarkable stabilizing effect on the MAE solution. Multi-spectroscopic analysis revealed the occurrence of non-covalent interactions mediated by hydrophobic interaction between β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) and cyanidin-3- O -glucoside (C3G) in the presence of FA, with improved binding affinity. While FA did not exhibit a copigmentation effect on the C3G solution, it enhanced the protective action of β-LG on the chromophoric structural form of C3G. Moreover, although the introduction of FA to the β-LG complex with C3G resulted in minor modifications to the secondary structure, in contrast to the binary complexes, its particle size increased. The molecular dynamics simulations also revealed that FA enhances the binding affinity between β-LG and C3G. These findings provide a foundation for enhancing the storage stability of anthocyanins and expanding the utilization of MAE pigment in the food industry. [Display omitted] • Whey protein isolate and ferulic acid (FA) enhanced anthocyanin stability at pH 6.3. • FA facilitated binding of cyanidin-3- O -glucoside (C3G) to β-lactoglobulin (β-LG). • FA maintained the secondary structure of β-LG-C3G but increased its particle size. • Non-covalent complex was formed between whey protein isolate and ligand at pH 6.3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports for the first-time the adsorption of anthocyanins (ACN) on the surface of laponite ® (Lap), as well the physicochemical characterization of ACN-Lap powders after the adsorption process. ACN were extracted from eggplant peel by using an acidified water solution. The adsorption/desorption tests were carried out at different temperature and pH values. The best adsorption conditions were at 20 °C and pH 1.0. The adsorption mechanism of ACN on Lap was better explained by Langmuir and pseudo-first-order kinetic models, therefore, the ACN adsorption on Lap can be classified as monolayer adsorption, influenced by physical interactions. Lap has a high ratio of adsorption/desorption. After adsorption, the ACN-Lap powder presents an amorphous structure with a purple color, which changes with pH modification. Lap can be used to valorize food residues rich in ACN such as eggplant peel. The ACN-Lap powder has potential application as dye or pigment in the food industry. • Laponite can be used for separating anthocyanins. • Laponite had good adsorption/desorption capacities of anthocyanins. • Langmuir and pseudo-first-order kinetic models described adequately the adsorption process. • Anthocyanin-laponite powder can be used as pH sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Identification of microalgae using 16S r DNA technique. • Optimization of process parameter on yield of biomass and PBPs. • Batch kinetic study of PBPs production. • Stability study of PBPs. Abstract In the present study, cyanobacterium BTA 170 was isolated from Manipur, India and was phylogenetically related to Oscillatoria sp. The biomass of BTA 170 contained 6.5% of ash, 32.25% of carbohydrate, 37.44% of protein, 22.31% of lipid and 1.5% of moisture. 0.3 M of glycine and 5 mM of sodium glutamate were required for BTA 170 as supplements in BG 11 media for maximum yield of cell biomass and PBPs production. However, 6k Lux of light intensity and 14:10 (Light: Dark) of photoperiod were found as optimum for higher productivity. The specific growth rate was found to be 0.228 day−1 and production of PBPs was found to be growth associated. The first-order kinetic model was used to investigate the deactivation process of PBPs and the deactivation rate constant (kd) was found to be minimum in the temperature range from 10 to 40 °C and pH 7. The maximum deactivation of PBPs was found at pH 12 and 80 °C. Gibb's free energy for PE, PC and APC were found to be 109.38–117.34; 108.10–115.21 and 108.74–116.48 kJ/mol respectively at pH 7. The pH and thermal tolerances of PBPs suggested that they may have potential for use as pigments in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation mechanism and particle size prediction of rutile nanoparticles for pigment production were investigated. Anatase nanoparticles were observed by oriented attachment with parallel lattice fringe spaces of 0.2419 nm. Upon increasing the calcination temperature, the (1 1 0) plane of rutile was gradually observed, suggesting that the anatase (1 0 3) planes undergo internal structural rearrangement of oxygen and titanium ions into rutile phase due to ionic diffusion. Backpropagation neural network was used to predict particle size of rutile nanopowders, the prediction errors were all smaller than 2%, providing an efficient method to control particle size in pigment production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigments (mainly carotenoids) are important nutraceuticals known for their potent anti-oxidant activities and have been used extensively as high end health supplements. Microalgae are the most promising sources of natural carotenoids and are devoid of the toxic effects associated with synthetic derivatives. Compared to photoautotrophic cultivation, heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae in well-controlled bioreactors for pigments production has attracted much attention for commercial applications due to overcoming the difficulties associated with the supply of CO 2 and light, as well as avoiding the contamination problems and land requirements in open autotrophic culture systems. In this review, the heterotrophic metabolic potential of microalgae and their uses in pigment production are comprehensively described. Strategies to enhance pigment production under heterotrophic conditions are critically discussed and the challenges faced in heterotrophic pigment production with possible alternative solutions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, it is attempted to carry out the synthesis and surface modification of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle in a single step using the iron precursors and biomolecules present in culture supernatant produced by S.thermolineatus utilizing the fish processing waste as a substrate. The biomolecules in the culture supernatant acts as the stabilizing and capping agent so that the desired functionality is achieved on the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle surface. The synthesized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were characterised by UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis, Vibrating sample magnetometer and dynamic light scattering. The synthesized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle was employed for the removal of copper from pigment industry effluent. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the conditions for the maximum removal of copper ions. The synthesised iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle with surface modification was found to be efficient in removing the copper by 85% from the pigment industry effluent. Desorption studies revealed that the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle can be reused for four cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Comparison of stirred extraction with electrified (microwave, ultrasound) extractions. • Recovery of red natural pigment β-carotene from Rhodotorula glutinis yeast. • Mass transfer phenomena determination via diffusion-based model. Due to the general population awareness about the specific health hazards of synthetic chemical dyes, natural colorant materials have been gaining attention in the past several years. Among them, β-carotene is widely used as a soluble orange–red pigment in food industry, while also presenting medical care benefits. Thus, considerable efforts have been dedicated to the development of an efficient serial, cost effective and sustainable extraction process for its recovery. Herein, solid–liquid (SLE), ultrasound-assisted (UAE) and microwave-assisted (MAE) equilibrium separation were carried out using 4 organic solvents for β-carotene isolation of from Rhodotorula glutinis yeast. Results suggested that technique-wise, UAE performed similarly to SLE, whereas MAE was not as optimal. According to the solvent applied, the colorant followed the increasing trend: dichloromethane < diethyl ether < dimethyl carbonate < ethyl acetate. The latter resulted in 45 ± 3 μg g−1, 42 ± 2 μg g−1 and 41 ± 3 μg g−1, while being extracted with UAE, SLE and MAE, respectively. These operation findings show the positive relationship effect of the greener solvent during the SLE, UAE and MAE activity for the optimisation of high-added value molecular compound, pro-vitamin A, from fungi. Additionally, a diffusion-based model system was implemented for the first time to determine mass transfer phenomena. When correlated with experiments, good measurement accuracy was validated; hence, showing promising results as a predictive model in future research studies, especially mechanistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial pigments are gaining more attention in recent times due to their versatile applications in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and textile industries. The development of microbial pigments is a challenging task due to the presence of inexpensive synthetic dyes in the market. However, the harmful side effects of most of the azo and benzidine synthetic dyes have compelled many scientists and experts to shift their attention to chemically greener routes of dye production. Micro-organisms are endowed with the potential to produce useful natural colorants such as carotenoids on an industrial scale at relatively low costs. This review aims to provide crucial information on the biodiversity, distribution, pathogenicity, ecological and industrial applications of microbial pigments, as well as challenges and future directions for food, textile, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and biomedical applications. It also highlights the challenges faced by the use and development of food and textile-grade pigments and proposes recommendations to deal with these challenges using advanced techniques, including metabolic engineering and gene editing technologies. • This review article provides an up-to-date knowledge regarding the biosynthesis of microbial pigments from microorganisms. • The methods to increase the yield of microbial pigment using modern-day technologies have also been reviewed in detail. • This review provides detailed information regrading the applications of microbial pigments in various industries. • This review highlights the challenges faced by the use of food and textile-grade pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-carotene is being used in the food industry as an orange-red pigment for making various food products due to its valuable physical and biological properties. The use of naturally produced β-carotene has many health benefits rather than the majorly used synthetic production method. Therefore, the use of microbial production for β-carotene synthesis can be a promising future for the industries due to its low production cost, use of less manpower, high product yield and eco-friendly production steps. The present review provides an overview of various β-carotene production methods and their future scope using green industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.11.019 Byline: Keith A. Hultman, Stephen L. Johnson Keywords: Zebrafish; Adult stem cell; Melanocyte; Morphogenesis Abstract: The extent of adult stem cell involvement in embryonic growth is often unclear, as reliable markers or assays for whether a cell is derived from an adult stem cell, such as the melanocyte stem cell (MSC), are typically not available. We have previously shown that two lineages of melanocytes can contribute to the larval zebrafish pigment pattern. The embryo first develops an ontogenetic pattern that is largely composed of ErbB-independent, direct-developing melanocytes. This population can be replaced during regeneration by an ErbB-dependent MSC-derived population following melanocyte ablation. In this study, we developed a melanocyte differentiation assay used together with drugs that ablate the MSC to investigate whether MSC-derived melanocytes contribute to the ontogenetic pattern. We found that essentially all melanocytes that develop before 3 dpf arise from the ErbB-independent, direct-developing population. Similarly, late-developing (after 3 dpf) melanocytes of the head are also ErbB independent. In contrast, the melanocytes that develop after 3 days postfertilization in the lateral and dorsal stripe are sensitive to ErbB inhibitor, indicating that they are derived from the MSC. We show that melanocyte regeneration mutants kit.sup.j1e99 and skiv2l2.sup.j24e1 that are grossly normal for the overall ontogenetic pattern also lack the MSC-derived contribution to the lateral stripe. This result suggests that the underlying regeneration defect of these mutations is a defect in MSC regulation. We suggest that the regulative functions of the MSC may serve quality control roles during larval development, in addition to its established roles in larval regeneration and growth and homeostasis in the adult. Author Affiliation: Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Box 8232, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA Article History: Received 24 June 2009; Revised 11 November 2009; Accepted 11 November 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.07.005 Byline: R.R. Marcello (a), S. Galato (b), M. Peterson (a)(c), H.G. Riella (c), A.M. Bernardin (a)(c) Keywords: Acid mine drainage; Pigments; Glazes; Ceramic tiles Abstract: Continuous industrial development increases energy consumption and, consequently, the consumption of fossil fuels. Coal mineral has been used in Brazil as a solid fuel for thermoelectric generators for several years. However, coal exploitation affects the environment intensely, mainly because Brazilian coal contains excess ash and pyrite (iron disulfide). According to the local coal industry syndicate, the average annual coal run per mine is 6 million ton/year; 3.5 million ton/year are rejected and disposed of in landfills. Besides pyrite, Brazilian coal contains Mn, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ge, Se, and Co. Additionally, the water used for coal beneficiation causes pyrite oxidation, forming an acid mine drainage (AMD). This drainage solubilizes the metals, transporting them into the environment, making treatment a requirement. This work deals with the use of sedimented residue from treated coal mine drainage sludge to obtain inorganic pigments that could be used in the ceramic industry. The residue was dried, ground and calcined ([approximately equal to]1250[degrees]C). The calcined pigment was then micronized (D.sub.50[approximately equal to]2[mu]m). Chemical (XRF), thermal (DTA/TG), particle size (laser), and mineralogical (XRD) analyses were carried out on the residue. After calcination and micronization, mineralogical analyses (XRD) were used to determine the pigment structure at 1250[degrees]C. Finally, the pigments were mixed with transparent glaze and fired in a laboratory roller kiln (1130[degrees]C, 5min). The results were promising, showing that brown colors can be obtained with pigments made by residues. Author Affiliation: (a) Engenharia de Materiais, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Avenida Universitaria 1105, Bairro Universitario, CEP 88.806-000, Criciuma, Santa Catarina, Brazil (b) Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais e Tecnologicas, Rodovia Governador Jorge Lacerda km 4,5, Bairro Universitario, CEP 88.805-350, Criciuma, Santa Catarina, Brazil (c) Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia Quimica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario, Trindade, CEP 88.040-900, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil Article History: Received 2 April 2006; Revised 30 May 2007; Accepted 2 July 2007

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.08.014 Byline: M. Baron, S. Davies, L. Alexander, D. Snellgrove, K.A. Sloman Abstract: Colour patterns play an integral role in the signalling processes of many fish species. In particular, carotenoid-based pigments influence nuptial coloration patterns in ornamental fish. Less is known about the role of other dietary pigments in behavioural processes. We studied the effect of dietary pigments on skin pigmentation, growth and behaviour of male flame-red dwarf gourami. Groups of these fish were fed either a control diet or one of three different diets, Lucantin Pink, beetroot juice powder or Overseal Carantho powder, daily for 12 weeks. Mass and colour measurements were taken for each fish every 2 weeks. The addition of synthetic astaxanthin (Lucantin Pink) significantly increased red coloration, whereas betalain-based (beetroot juice powder) and anthocyanin-based (Overseal Carantho powder) pigments did not affect skin colour. Fish mass increased across all diets and the addition of these dietary pigments did not significantly affect growth. At the end of the 12-week trial, fish from each diet treatment were used to determine female preference to male colour intensity and male social interaction. Females preferred to associate with males fed Lucantin Pink and, although clear social hierarchies were observed among groups of male fish, no significant effects of diet on social interaction were found. Fish fed the control, Lucantin Pink and Overseal Carantho powder diets showed a lightening in skin coloration following group activity and social interaction. However, skin colour and skin lightness of fish fed the beetroot juice powder diet were unaffected by periods of social interaction, suggesting a possible colour maintenance property of betalain-based pigments. Author Affiliation: (a) School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, U.K. (a ) Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Melton Mowbray, U.K. Article History: Received 8 May 2007; Revised 17 June 2007; Accepted 3 August 2007 Article Note: (miscellaneous) MS. number: 9387R

Highlights: [•] PCB11 and other PCB congeners were analyzed with HRGC coupled with HRMS. [•] High concentrations of PCB11 and PCBs were detected in all pigment samples. [•] PCB 11 was the major contributor of total PCB concentration. [•] 12 Dioxin-like PCBs were investigated and WHO-TEQ were calculated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] An electrochemical reactor in a unique design was used. [•] A removal efficiency of 84% was obtained by electrocoagulation. [•] The sludge was characterised and used in ceramic pigment production. [•] Black and brown inorganic ceramic pigments were obtained from the waste sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2006.01.002 Byline: Yves Dandonneau (a), Yves Montel (b), Jean Blanchot (b), Jacques Giraudeau (c), Jacques Neveux (d) Abstract: Biogeochemical processes in the sea are triggered in various ways by chlorophyll-containing phytoplankton groups. While the variability of chlorophyll concentration at sea has been observed from satellites for several years, these groups are known only from cruises which are limited in space and time. The Geochemistry, Phytoplankton and Color of the Ocean programme (GeP&CO) was set up to describe and understand the variability of phytoplankton composition on large spatial scales under a multi-year sampling strategy. It was based on sea-surface sampling along the route of the merchant ship Contship London which travelled four times a year from Le Havre (France) to Noumea (New Caledonia) via New York, Panama and Auckland. Observations included the measurement of photosynthetic pigments, counts of picoplanktonic cells by flow cytometry (Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and picoeucaryotes) and counting and identification of coccolithophores. The results confirmed that tropical areas have low seasonal variability and are characterized by relatively high divinyl-chlorophyll a and zeaxanthin concentration and that the variability is strongest at high latitudes where the phytoplankton biomass and population structure are found to have large seasonal cycles. Thus, the spring bloom in the North Atlantic and an austral winter bloom north of New Zealand are marked by chlorophyll concentrations which are often higher than 0.5[mu]gl.sup.-1 and by high concentration of fucoxanthin (a pigment used as an indicator for diatoms), while summer populations are dominated by Prochlorococcus sp. and have low chlorophyll concentrations. Apart from this yearly bloom at temperate latitudes, fucoxanthin is scarce, except in the equatorial upwelling zone in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where it is found in moderate amounts. In this region, relatively high chlorophyll concentrations extend generally as far as 14[degrees]S and do not respond to the seasonal strengthening of the equatorial upwelling during the austral winter. Prochlorococcus, which is known to dominate in oligotrophic tropical seas and to disappear in cold conditions, in fact has its minimum during the spring bloom in the North Atlantic, rather than during the winter. Coccolithophores are ubiquitous, showing a succession of species in response to oceanic conditions and provinces. 19'Hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, the pigment generally considered as an indicator of coccolithophores, is relatively abundant at all times and in all regions, but its abundance is generally not tightly correlated with that of coccolithophores. The regional differences revealed by these results are in overall agreement with Longhurst's division of the ocean into ecological provinces. Author Affiliation: (a) IRD, IPSL/LOCEAN (CNRS, IRD, MNHN, UPMC), 4 Place Jussieu, 75252Paris Cedex 05, France (b) Centre IRD, BP 172, 97492 Sainte Clotilde, La Reunion, France (c) Departement de Geologie et Oceanographie, UMR CNRS 5805 EPOC, Universite de Bordeaux 1, 33405 Talence, France (d) Laboratoire Arago (UMR 7621), BP 44, 66651 Banyuls sur Mer Cedex, France Article History: Received 8 November 2004; Revised 9 November 2005; Accepted 3 January 2006

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(99)00097-7 Byline: Francesca Vidussi, Jean-Claude Marty, Jacques Chiaverini Keywords: Pigments; Mediterranean Sea; Phytoplankton Abstract: Phytoplankton taxonomic pigments and primary production were measured at the JGOFS-France time-series station DYFAMED in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea during May 1995 to investigate changes in phytoplankton composition and the biogeochemical implications (DYNAPROC experiment). The study period covered the transitional situation from late spring bloom to pre-oligotrophic. The late spring bloom situation, occurring at the beginning of the study, revealed high chlorophyll a concentrations (maximum 3mgm.sup.-3 at 30m) and high primary production (maximum 497mgCm.sup.-2 14h.sup.-1). At the end of the experiment, the trophic regime shifted towards pre-oligotrophic and was characterized by lower chlorophyll a concentrations ( Article History: Received 2 February 1998; Revised 2 February 1999; Accepted 4 June 1999

Abstract: The effect of mechanical activation of bag filter wastes in titanium production (ilmenite concentrate) with carbon on the production of titanium dioxide pigment was studied. Results of mechanochemical liberation, reduction and sulphuric acid enrichment of ilmenite concentrate are reported. It is shown that mechanical activation significantly changes the morphology of particles of produced pigment compared to the standard. The conditions of mechanical activation correlate with the specific surface values of samples and sizes of ilmenite crystallites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Hunter whiteness (HW) is an important quality index of powder in agricultural, food and pigment industries. Relationship between HW of mixed powder and mass percent of each individual powder was investigated. We found a linear relationship expressed by a corresponding equation. According to this equation, the HW of mixed powder was only related to the HW and mass percent of each kind of individual power. Therefore, such equation can simply and rapidly evaluate HW of the mixed powder during the powder matching process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, major toxicants in pigment wastewaters (i.e. raw wastewater and effluent) were determined by toxicity identification evaluations (TIEs), and changes in their toxicities due to combined gamma-ray (γ-ray) and ozone treatments were evaluated. From TIE results using Daphnia magna, Cr(VI) and o-toluidine were identified as major toxicants in the raw wastewater with concentrations of 2.47 and 25.3mgl−1, respectively. This was confirmed by subsequent spiking and mass balance approaches. For effluent, TIE results suggested that organic anions were likely responsible for the observed toxicities. Toxicity reduction tests showed that γ-rays with ozone treatment after coagulation was more efficient in reducing toxicities in the raw wastewater (3.9–2.0TU) than γ-ray treatment alone (3.9–3.1TU). For pigment effluent, γ-ray/O3 treatment resulted in a complete removal of the acute toxicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• This review deals with blue pigments from natural origin. • Red biomass containing bikaverin may become blue upon heat treatment. • Bikaverin has antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities, among others. • Bikaverin is a potential candidate of natural blue pigment for industry. In last years, the main studied microbial sources of natural blue pigments have been the eukaryotic algae, Rhodophytes and Cryptophytes , and the cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis , responsible for the production of phycocyanin, one of the most important blue compounds approved for food and cosmetic use. Recent research also includes the indigoidine pigment from the bacteria Erwinia , Streptomyces and Photorhabdus. Despite these advances, there are still few options of microbial blue pigments reported so far, but the interest in these products is high due to the lack of stable natural blue pigments in nature. Filamentous fungi are particularly attractive for their ability to produce pigments with a wide range of colors. Bikaverin is a red metabolite present mainly in species of the genus Fusarium. Although originally red, the biomass containing bikaverin changes its color to blue after heat treatment, through a mechanism still unknown. In addition to the special behavior of color change by thermal treatment, bikaverin has beneficial biological properties, such as antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities, which can expand its use for the pharmaceutical and medical sectors. The present review addresses the production natural blue pigments and focuses on the properties of bikaverin, which can be an important source of blue pigment with potential applications in the food industry and in other industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2007.08.032 Byline: Greg Barsh (1), George Cotsarelis (2) Abstract: Mutations in the transcription factor Foxn1 cause the nude phenotype in mice, which is characterized by a lack of visible hair. New work by in this issue of Cell now shows that Foxn1 also contributes to hair color by marking which cells are to receive pigment from melanocytes. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (2) Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

• The Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 @c-SiO 2 pigment with a Ce3+/Si4+ mole ratio of 0.4 shows excellent acid corrosion resistance. • When the Ce3+/Si4+ mole ratio reaches 0.4, the Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 @c-SiO 2 pigment has better color rendering performance. • The oxidation temperature of Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 was increased from 479 °C to 883 °C upon encapsulation by c-SiO 2 , demonstrating great potential for applications in the ceramic pigment industry. Crystal SiO 2 -coated Sr2+-doped red γ-Ce 2 S 3 (Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 @c-SiO 2) pigments were successfully synthesized via the Stöber method using Sr2+-doped CeO 2 and amorphous SiO 2 (a-SiO 2) sol as the precursors. Further, the effects of the Ce3+/Si4+ mole ratio x, sulfurization temperature, and calcination temperature on the color performance, acid corrosion resistance, and temperature stability of the Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 @c-SiO 2 pigments were systematically investigated. The results reveal that Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 @c-SiO 2 exhibiting improved acid corrosion resistance and color performance (L * = 38.22, a * = 28.97, and b * = 25.49) can be obtained when x = 0.4. The γ-Ce 2 S 3 pigments can be effectively protected from oxidation at high temperatures by applying a transparent crystal SiO 2 (c-SiO 2) coating layer on the pigment surface. The oxidation temperature of the Sr2+-doped γ-Ce 2 S 3 increased from 479 °C to 883 °C by applying c-SiO 2 encapsulation, demonstrating considerable application potential in the ceramic pigment industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]