The color of red fruits and vegetables has many sources. "Tiangong Kaiwu" says: "Red yeast, made of rice." The red yeast color is red, based on rice, and made by a specific method, which can add color to red rice and red wine. This is one of the sources of red pigment.
Also speaking of safflower, "The method of making safflower cakes, picking safflower with dew, pounding it when it is cooked, washing it with water, and wringing out the yellow juice in a cloth bag. Then pounding, clearing it with sour rice, and wringing the bag to remove the juice, covering it with Artemisia annua overnight, drying it in the sun, or kneading it into a thin cake, drying it in the shade and storing it." After this complicated process, safflower can obtain its pigment, which is useful for dyeing, weaving and medicinal purposes.
Looking at Su Mu again, "Su Mu fried juice, red but not vulgar." Su Mu can fry red juice, which is often used for dyeing things. Its color is bright, and it is a red dye commonly used in ancient times.
In addition, cinnabar is also an important source of red color. Although "Tiangong Kaiwu" does not elaborate on cinnabar extraction, cinnabar has been a pigment and medicinal material since ancient times, with a vermilion color, which is mostly used in calligraphy and painting, printing mud, etc. It is often born in ore veins and can be obtained by mining and refining.

Compendium of Materia Medica "Yun Comfrey" Its root is purple, and it can be dyed purple ". Although" Tiangong Kaiwu "does not elaborate on the method of selecting color from comfrey, it can be known that comfrey can be properly treated to extract red pigment, which can be used for dyeing
In summary, the source of red pigment is either for grain fermentation such as red yeast, or for plant extraction such as safflower, hematoxylin, comfrey, or for mineral extraction such as cinnabar. Each has its own method and is widely used in life and craftsmanship.

The use of red pigment in the world is quite wide. In the field of food, it can add its color. Looking at the work of the kitchen, add red pigment to it, and the color of the food is bright and attractive. Like a delicacy, apply red pigment slightly, just like Xia Phi, which makes people salivate and increases their appetite.
In the realm of medicine, red pigment also has its ability. Ancient healers tasted its nature, or it could be used as medicine to treat people's diseases. Although it has not been described in detail, it may be beneficial to know that it is in the adjustment of qi and blood.
In the process of craftsmanship, red pigment can be used for dyeing and weaving. Make the color of cloth gorgeous and colorful. Weavers dye it with red pigment, and the cloth is red, and it is made into clothes. The clothes are bright and moving, which can add a lot of color to the clothes.
In the world of painting art, red pigment is the choice of paint. The painter takes red pigment, splashes ink, paints the grandeur of mountains and rivers, and describes the delicate beauty of flowers and birds. On Suxuan, a touch of red pigment gives birth to a vivid meaning, making the painting come to life.
And red pigment also has its place in the ritual of sacrifice. The ancients worshiped the gods and sacrificed their ancestors, and offered them with things containing red pigment to show their sincerity. The color of red pigment is solemn and warm, which is in line with the solemn atmosphere of sacrifice and the earnest desire of prayer.
The use of red pigment runs through the borders of food, medicine, craftsmanship, painting, and sacrifice. It adds a touch of brilliance to everything in the world and has value that cannot be ignored.

"Tiangong Kaiwu" was written by Song Yingxing in the Ming Dynasty, and the book contains many process technologies in detail. In today's words, the application of red rice pigments in the food industry should pay attention to the following things:
First, it is related to the source and quality. Red rice pigments are derived from red rice vegetables. When picking red rice vegetables, it is necessary to choose those with good growth and no diseases and pests to keep the pigments pure. And the production process must be rigorous and follow the standardized process, so as to obtain high-quality pigments. If the pigments contain impurities, it will affect the quality of food.
Second, the characteristics of clear knowledge. The color, solubility, stability and other characteristics of red rice pigments have a profound impact on the use of food. Its color is bright, which can give food a unique color, but it is sensitive to light, heat, pH value, etc. If the pigment may fade or change color under high temperature or extreme pH environment, so when food processing, the temperature should be accurately controlled, the pH value should be adjusted, and the pigment should be stabilized.
Third, consider the scope of application. Red rice pigment is suitable for a variety of foods, such as pastries, beverages, candies, etc. However, different food processing processes and storage conditions are different, and the applicability to pigments is also different. Such as baked goods, when baking at high temperature, red rice pigment with good thermal stability should be selected; liquid beverages should pay attention to pigment solubility to ensure uniform dispersion and no precipitation.
Fourth, follow the regulations and dosage. When using food additives, the state has strict regulations and standards. When using red rice pigment, the dosage must be in accordance with the regulations and must not exceed the amount. Excessive use may affect food safety, damage consumer health, and also touch the legal red line.
Fifth, pay attention to the compounding effect. In practical applications, red rice pigment is often compounded with other pigments or additives to achieve the ideal color and performance. When compounding, it is necessary to be familiar with the interaction of each ingredient, and the formula is optimized through experiments to prevent adverse reactions and ensure the stability of food quality.

For red vegetable pigments, the stability of sex is related to many ends. First and foremost, the chemical structure, this pigment belongs to the genus of flavonoids and anthocyanins. For flavonoids, the structure of benzopyrone may be substituted by hydroxyl groups and methoxy groups on the benzene ring. Such a structure makes the flavonoid red vegetable pigment have a specific electron cloud distribution, which in turn affects its stability. In terms of anthocyanins, the structure of its 2-phenylbenzopyran cation can assume a variety of tautomers in different pH environments, which greatly affects its color and stability.
The second is the environmental cause. When the temperature increases, the molecular thermal motion intensifies, and the bonds in the red vegetable pigment molecules can be disturbed, which is easy to cause structural changes and reduce stability. If heated excessively, the pigment may decompose and fade. Light also has an effect, especially ultraviolet light and visible light, which can cause the excitation of pigment molecules and photochemical reactions, such as oxidation and isomerization, which damage its stability. The change of pH has a great impact on the red vegetable pigment. Anthocyanins exist in an acidic environment as ions, and are red and stable; when the pH rises, they gradually turn into quinone bases, which are discolored and easily decomposed.
Furthermore, the properties of the medium are also stable. In polar solvents, red vegetable pigment may interact with solvent molecules with hydrogen bonds, which affects its stability. In the food system, coexisting substances, such as metal ions, carbohydrates, proteins, etc., can interact with pigments. Metal ions such as iron, copper, etc., or catalyze pigment oxidation; carbohydrates may protect pigments and increase their stability due to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity; proteins can complex with pigments to change their stability.
The protection of the stability of red vegetable pigments should be paid attention to when various factors are taken into account. In the manufacturing process, temperature control, light protection, pH adjustment and selection of suitable media are all essential methods, which can maintain the stability of their color and sex, and are widely used in food, medicine and other industries.

Compared with other pigments, red mulberry pigment does have many extraordinary things. Red mulberry pigment is derived from natural red mulberry, which is a gift of nature. Compared with many synthetic pigments, it is very safe. Synthetic pigments are mostly produced by complex chemical processes, or contain potentially harmful ingredients, which may endanger human health if ingested for a long time. And red mulberry pigment is derived from nature, and its natural safety is undoubtedly a significant advantage in today's increasingly serious food safety.
In addition, red mulberry pigment has a unique color performance. The color it presents is either bright and eye-catching, or soft and elegant, and the color stability is quite good. When external factors such as light, heat, acid, and alkali change, it can still maintain its original color for a long time, and it is not easy to fade or change color. Taking the common food industry as an example, many foods require extremely high stability of pigments through processing, storage, and sales. The excellent performance of red mulberry pigments in this regard can make the food always maintain an attractive appearance and improve the visual quality of the food.
In addition, red mulberry pigments may also have certain physiological activities. Many studies have shown that red mulberry itself contains a variety of beneficial ingredients for the human body, and its pigments may also carry some biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Compared with pigments that generally only have the function of toning, this has a bit more potential for human health benefits, and may have broad application prospects in the fields of drugs, health products, etc.
In addition, from a resource perspective, red mulberry cultivation is relatively simple and rich in resources. Using this as raw material to produce pigments, the raw materials are convenient to obtain, and the cost may be effectively controlled. It has great potential in large-scale production and application, and can provide a stable and economical source of raw materials for the pigment industry.