Food biotechnology: colours and science.

Vegetable pigments pH markers. Anthocyanins of red cabbage, pigments responsible for their violet color, have the peculiarity of producing a change of color when the pH of the medium is modified by changing its protonation state. When an acid is added, the solution with red cabbage changes from violet to red by the lowering of the pH, on the contrary when a base is added, the solution becomes green because the pH has increased and the anthocyanins have been deprotonated. This effect can be used to design pH indicators that inform about food quality.

The quinine present in beverages such as tonic is fluorescent when irradiated over 360nm. Adding water with lemon and cyclodextrin produces hyperfluorescence due to the combined effect of lower pH and increased stiffness of the molecule when encapsulated with cyclodextrin. If gin is now added, as would be done in a GinTonic, the fluorescence drops drastically due to both the dilution of quinine and the competition of alcohol for the hydrophobic cavity of the cyclodextrin.

Scientific Roulette Roulette questions about food biotechnology. General questions about the importance of biotechnology in its various forms in food development. Stickers as a prize for the participants.

Microorganism observation.  Petri dishes observation of microorganisms to raise awareness among young people about the importance of hygiene in food

Coordination: Andrea Martínez Cazorla, PhD student at the University of Murcia.

Day and time: September 30, 18-22 hours.

Location: Patio del Campus de la Merced, University of Murcia.