Bixin Chemical Properties

Melting point:

217°C (dec.)

Boiling point:

438.7°C (rough estimate)

Density 

1.0659 (rough estimate)

refractive index 

1.4460 (estimate)

storage temp. 

-20°C

solubility 

Chloroform (Slightly), DMSO (Slightly), Methanol (Slightly)

form 

Solid

pka

4.69±0.10(Predicted)

Colour Index 

75120

color 

Dark Red to Very Dark Red

λmax

λ: 465-475 nm Amax

Stability:

Air Sensitive, Light Sensitive, Temperature Sensitive

LogP

8.23

CAS DataBase Reference

6983-79-5

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

Xn

Risk Statements 

20/21/22-36/37/38

Safety Statements 

26-36

WGK Germany 

3

HS Code 

38200000

Bixin Usage And Synthesis

Description

Bixin [CAS: 6983-79-5] (CI Natural Orange 4; CI 75120) is found in the seed of the plant Bixa orellana, native to India. Later it was found growing in South America, where the Indians used the red dye from the seeds as a body paint. An extract of the seeds appears on the market as annatto. This extract is used in coloring butter, margarine, and cheese such as Leicester cheese. In Mexican and South American cuisine, it finds special use as a flavor and coloring matter. Annato is available as an aqueous solution, as an oleaginous dispersion, and a spray-dried powder.

Chemical Properties

orange,purple lustrous crystalline solid plates

Occurrence

Bixin (CI Natural Orange 4; CI 75120) is found in the seed of the plant Bixa orellana, native to India. Later it was found growing in South America, where the Indians used the red dye from the seeds as a body paint. An extract of the seeds appears on the market as annatto. This extract is used in coloring butter, margarine, and cheese such as Leicester cheese. In Mexican and South American cuisine, it finds special use as a flavor and coloring matter. Annato is available as an aqueous solution, as an oleaginous dispersion, and a spray-dried powder.

Uses

Bixin is a carotenoid that is the main coloring component of annatto. it is obtained from the bixa orellana tree. bixin is soluble in fats and oils and the produced color is found in the fat fraction of the food. it has a yellow hue, very good oxidation stability, fair light stability, and good heat stability, but it is poor at very high temperatures, such as above 125°c. one part bixin is equivalent to 1.5 parts caro- tene. it is used at 0.5–10 ppm in finished foods, such as margarine, salad dressings, popcorn oil, and baked goods. it is also termed annatto extract. see annatto.

Definition

ChEBI: A carotenoic acid that is the 6'-monomethyl ester of 9'-cis-6,6'-diapocarotene-6,6'-dioic acid.

General Description

Bixin is a methyl ester of a dibasic fatty acid. On treating with alkali, it is hydrolyzed to form water soluble norbixin. It is obtained in pure form from annatto seeds. Bixin is a carotenoid and estimated as yolk and skin pigmenter.

Purification Methods

Crystallise bixin from Me2CO (violet prisms) [Pattenden et al. J Chem Soc (C) 235 1970]. [Beilstein 2 III 2020, 2 IV 2455, H 30 110.]

Bixin(6983-79-5)Related Product Information

• Astaxanthin
• Bixin
• NORBIXIN(P)
• METHYL SORBATE
• TRANS-2-PENTENOIC ACID
• 2,6-DIMETHYL-2,4,6-OCTATRIENE
• Sorbic acid
• TRANS,TRANS-2,4-HEXADIEN-1-OL
• trans-2,4-Pentadienoicacid
• 1,3-BUTADIENE-1-CARBOXYLIC ACID METHYL ESTER
• 2,4,6,8-DECATETRAENOIC ACID
• DECA-2,4,6,8-TETRAENAL
• METHYL-BIXIN
• BIXIN(P)
• ANNATO SEED/ BIXIN 2,5%
• ANNATTO NOR BIXIN
• ANNATTO BIXIN
• TRANS-BIXIN