Why does pink turn into a cooking?

2002/07/30 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Zoologia
• Kimika

After cooking, the lobster loses its bluish color and becomes pink. Now British researchers have discovered the key to this color change. It seems that misera owes its bluish color to a protein called crustazianine. In passing, thanks to this color it hides very well between the rocks of the seabed, which makes it almost invisible to his enemies.

Part of this bluish molecule is able to modify its appearance to give shape to another associated molecule. This other molecule is called astaxanthin and is orange. However, when it is associated with crustacianine, its light-absorbing property changes to blue. In cooking the crustacianine molecule is broken and astaxanthin acquires a natural orange color.

According to researchers, this color changing molecule, in addition to being a great antioxidant, can be an interesting coloring for the food industry. On the other hand, they believe that it can also be used against diseases such as cancer. Finally, it can also be useful for the administration of medicines, since in it you can dissolve drugs that do not dissolve in water.