Obtaining a natural dye from the pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus haworth, britton and rose) from the southern region of the state of Campeche

Abstract

The pitahaya is a fruit that contains beneficial properties for humans, among which are the pigments used for coloring in the food industry, such as anthocyanins and betalains with antioxidant activity. It is important to note that they are not the only beneficial substances for humans that pitahaya has; it also contains thiamine and ascorbic acid. It is for this reason that the objective of this work was the obtaining of a natural colorant from the shell of pitahaya with potential use in the food industry. For the achievement of the work, the pitahaya shell was used to obtain the natural dye. The dye was obtained through different techniques, such as dehydration, drying, shredding of the shell, sieving, and the use of a centrifuge. The results indicate that the dye obtained from dehydration is part of the group of anthocyanins and that at a ratio of 1/10 is sufficient to give color to fermented beverages.