Information About

Astaxanthin




Seafood market in Japan]]
Astaxanthin (sometimes spelt ''Astaxanthine'') is the chemical that gives Krill , Lobster s, Shrimp , and some Crab s their Red color when cooked. Flamingo es also receive their coloring from this chemical. A Carotenoid , it is originally produced by Algae and makes its way up the Foodchain . It is an Antioxidant .

As a Food Additive , astaxanthin is a Food Dye with E Number E161j.


ASTAXANTHIN IN SALMONS

Salmon , a white-flesh fish, acquires its distinctive Salmon Color from eating these small Shellfish in the wild. Farmed salmon are generally fed with astaxanthin or Canthaxanthin to make their color acceptable. The shade of pink can be chosen using a Salmofan.

Salmon Roe s contain astaxanthin that gives them their reddish color and protects them from Ultraviolet .

Class action lawsuits were filed against some major grocery store chains for not clearly labelling artificially colored salmon. {Link without Title}


ASTAXANTHIN IN GULLS

Increased sightings of pink colored "flushes" in the breast plumage of Gulls may be attributable to synthetic astaxanthin uptake by gulls consuming farm raised salmon. (McGraw and Hardy)


REFERENCES

  • http://www.public.asu.edu/~kjmcgraw/pubs/JFO2006.pdf Astaxanthin is responsible for the pink plumage flush

  • in Franklin’s and Ring-billed gulls J. Field Ornithol. 77(1):29–33, 2006 Kevin J. McGraw and Lisa S. Hardy



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