Anti-fading agent

Abstract

The present invention provide an anti-fading agent for a pigment, characterized by comprising as active ingredients at least one oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of nigerooligosaccharide, maltooligosaccharide and panose, when so required, in addition of an antioxidant. The anti-fading agent of the invention can advantageously inhibit fading in colors (including fading in colors by light irradiation and heat treatment) of natural pigments such as anthocyanin-based pigments, flavonoid-based pigments, carotenoid-based pigments and the like, and is useful for colored beverage and food products, pharmaceutical drugs, cosmetics and the like with which the fading in colors may be a problem.

1 . An anti-fading agent for a pigment comprising as an active ingredient at least one oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of nigerooligosaccharide, maltooligosaccharide and panose.  
     
     
         2 . The anti-fading agent for a pigment according to  claim 1 , which comprises an antioxidant in addition to the oligosaccharide.  
     
     
         3 . The anti-fading agent for a pigment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the pigment is a natural pigments.  
     
     
         4 . The anti-fading agent for a pigment a according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the pigment is at least one natural pigment selected from the group consisting of quinoid-based pigments, anthocyanin-bases pigments, flavonoid-based pigments, azaphilone-based pigments, betacyanin-based pigments, Gardenia Blue pigment and Gardenia Red pigment.  
     
     
         5 . The anti-fading agent for a pigment according to  claim 3 , wherein the pigment is an anthocyanin pigment.  
     
     
         6 . The anti-fading agent for a pigment according to  claim 3 , wherein the pigment is a carotenoid-based pigment or a flavonoid-based pigment.  
     
     
         7 . The anti-fading agent for a pigment according to  claim 2 , wherein the antioxidant is at least one antioxidant selected from the group consisting of a Chinese bayberry extract, rutin extract, coffee bean extract, rosemary extract, enzymatically modified rutin and enzymatically modified isoquercitrin.  
     
     
         8 . A pigment-containing colored substance which comprises the anti-fading agent according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein fading in color is suppressed.  
     
     
         9 . The pigment-containing colored substance according to  claim 8 , wherein the colored substance is a beverage and food products.  
     
     
         10 . The pigment-containing colored substance according to  claim 8 , wherein the pigment is a natural pigment.  
     
     
         11 . The pigment-containing colored substance according to  claim 8 , wherein the pigment is at least one natural pigment selected from the group consisting of quinoid-based pigments, anthocyanin-based pigments, flavonoid-based pigments, azaphilone-based pigments, betacyanin-based pigments, Gardenia Blue pigment and Gardenia Red pigment.  
     
     
         12 . The pigment-containing colored substance according to  claim 8 , wherein the pigment is an anthocyanin-based pigment.  
     
     
         13 . The pigment-containing colored substance according to  claim 8 , wherein the pigment is a carotenoid-based pigment or a flavonoid-based pigment.  
     
     
         14 . The pigment-containing colored substance according to  claim 8  suppressed in fading in colors, wherein a content of the anti-fading agent is at least 0.1 parts by weight calculated as an oligosaccharide content.  
     
     
         15 . The pigment-containing colored substance suppressed in fading in colors according to  claim 8 , which comprises the antioxidant in a proportion of 0.5-100 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the oligosaccharide content.  
     
     
         16 . The pigment-containing colored substance suppressed in fading in colors according to  claim 8 , wherein the antioxidant is at least one antioxidant selected from the group consisting of a Chinese bayberry extract, rutin extract, coffee bean extract, rosemary extract, enzymatically modified rutin and enzymatically modified isoquercitrin.  
     
     
         17 . A method for inhibiting fading in color of a pigment, comprising adding at least one oligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of nigerooligosaccharide, maltooligosaccharide and panose, or an oligosaccharide and an antioxidant to the pigment.  
     
     
         18 . The method for inhibiting fading in color of a pigment according to  claim 17 , wherein the pigment is a natural pigment.  
     
     
         19 . The method for inhibiting fading in color of a pigment according to  claim 17 , wherein the pigment is at least one natural pigment selected from the group consisting of quinoid-based pigments, anthocyanin-based pigment, flavonoid-based pigments, azaphilone-based pigments, betacyanin-based pigments, Gardenia Blue pigment and Gardenia Red pigment.  
     
     
         20 . The method for inhibiting fading in color of a pigment according to  claim 17 , wherein the fading in color of the pigment occurs due to a light irradiation.  
     
     
         21 . The method for inhibiting fading in color of a pigment according to  claim 17 , wherein the fading in color of the pigment occurs due to a heat treatment.