Analytical characterization of flavan-3-ol-rich apple juices produced with the innovative spiral filter press technology.

The retention of flavan-3-ols and other phenolic compounds during apple juice production at pilot plant scale (200 kg, cv. Boskoop) was investigated. An oxygen-excluding spiral filter press and a conventional decanter were used with and without pectinase mash treatment. Phenolic compounds were comprehensively identified and quantitated by RP-UHPLC and HILIC, both coupled to DAD-FLD and DAD-ESI(-)-QTOF-HR-MS/MS. These techniques combined with using a NIST cocoa flavan-3-ol standard allowed for the first time an individual quantification of flavan-3-ol fractions (DP 1-7) in apple juices. Spiral filter-pressed juices were exposed to less oxidation and exhibited four times higher total phenolic compound levels than decanter-made juices (1016 vs. 262 mg/L). Apple juices derived from pectinase-treated mashes had lower total phenolic compound levels than their non-treated counterparts. However, those made by spiral filter press still retained significantly higher concentrations (780 vs. 104 mg/L). Flavan-3-ols were especially well retained by spiral filter press processing, reaching unprecedentedly high concentrations of up to 713 mg/L. A 280 mL serving of non-treated spiral filter-pressed juice would therefore suffice to provide the daily intake of 200 mg flavan-3-ols, equaling the dose of cocoa flavan-3-ols associated with an authorized European health claim for healthy blood flow.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomic Profiling of a Silvaner White Wine.

The comprehensive identification of the proteome content from a white wine (cv. Silvaner) is described here for the first time. The wine protein composition isolated from a representative wine sample (250 L) was identified via mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics following in-solution and in-gel digestion methods after being submitted to size exclusion chromatographic (SEC) fractionation to gain a comprehensive insight into proteins that survive the vinification processes. In total, we identified 154 characterized (with described functional information) or so far uncharacterized proteins, mainly from Vitis vinifera L. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. With the complementarity of the two-step purification, the digestion techniques and the high-resolution (HR)-MS analyses provided a high-score identification of proteins from low to high abundance. These proteins can be valuable for future authentication of wines by tracing proteins derived from a specific cultivar or winemaking process. The proteomics approach presented herein may also be generally helpful to understand which proteins are important for the organoleptic properties and stability of wines.

Additive and synergistic antifungal effects of copper and phenolic extracts from grape cane and apples.

BACKGROUND: Organic viticulture seeks sustainable alternatives for eco-toxic copper fungicides to control downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola. (Poly)phenol-rich extracts of agricultural byproducts are known to possess antifungal activity, but high production costs often limit their actual implementation. RESULTS: We developed and produced novel ligninsulfonate-based grape cane extract (GCE) formulations and an apple extract on a pilot plant scale, including a detailed (poly)phenol characterization by high-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-MS). Our GCE formulations alone reduced downy mildew disease severity in greenhouse trials by 29%-69% in a dose-dependent manner, whereas a standard application of the copper-based agent alone reached ~56%. When applied together, disease severity was diminished by 78%-92%, revealing a synergistic effect that depended on the mixture ratio. Combining GCE formulations with the apple extract, additive effects were found (80% disease severity reduction). CONCLUSION: The studied plant extracts are proposed to both substitute for and synergistically reinforce copper fungicides in grapevine downy mildew control. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterisation of acylated anthocyanins from red cabbage, purple sweet potato, and Tradescantia pallida leaves as natural food colourants by HPLC-DAD-ESI(+)-QTOF-MS/MS and ESI(+)-MSn analysis.

Anthocyanins in red cabbage, sweet potato, and Tradescantia pallida leaves were characterised. A total of 18 non-, mono-, and diacylated cyanidins was identified in red cabbage by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection coupled to high-resolution and multi-stage mass spectrometry. Sweet potato leaves contained 16 different cyanidin- and peonidin glycosides being predominantly mono- and diacylated. In T. pallida leaves, the tetra-acylated anthocyanin tradescantin prevailed. The large proportion of acylated anthocyanins resulted in a superior thermal stability during heating of aqueous model solutions (pH 3.0) coloured with red cabbage and purple sweet potato extracts as compared to that of a commercial Hibiscus-based food dye. However, their stability was still outperformed by that of the most stable Tradescantia extract. Comparing vis spectra from pH 1-10, the latter had an additional, uncommon absorption maximum at approx. 585 nm at slightly acidic to neutral pH values, yielding intensely red to purple colours.

Essential Oils as Multicomponent Mixtures and Their Potential for Human Health and Well-Being.

Essential oils (EOs) and their individual volatile organic constituents have been an inherent part of our civilization for thousands of years. They are widely used as fragrances in perfumes and cosmetics and contribute to a healthy diet, but also act as active ingredients of pharmaceutical products. Their antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties have qualified EOs early on for both, the causal and symptomatic therapy of a number of diseases, but also for prevention. Obtained from natural, mostly plant materials, EOs constitute a typical example of a multicomponent mixture (more than one constituent substances, MOCS) with up to several hundreds of individual compounds, which in a sophisticated composition make up the property of a particular complete EO. The integrative use of EOs as MOCS will play a major role in human and veterinary medicine now and in the future and is already widely used in some cases, e.g., in aromatherapy for the treatment of psychosomatic complaints, for inhalation in the treatment of respiratory diseases, or topically administered to manage adverse skin diseases. The diversity of molecules with different functionalities exhibits a broad range of multiple physical and chemical properties, which are the base of their multi-target activity as opposed to single isolated compounds. Whether and how such a broad-spectrum effect is reflected in natural mixtures and which kind of pharmacological potential they provide will be considered in the context of ONE Health in more detail in this review.

Comparison of Ion Chromatography Conductivity Detection (IC-CD) and Ion Chromatography Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS) for the Determination of Phosphonic Acid in Grapevine Plant Parts, Wine, and Soil.

Potassium dihydrogen phosphonate had been allowed as a plant strengthener in organic viticulture in the European Union only until 2013, supporting the control of grapevine downy mildew. Therefore, low or nondetectable levels are a prerequisite for marketing of organic wines and, consequently, validated analytical methods are of major interest. Herein, two methods based on ion chromatography conductivity detection (IC-CD) or ion chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS) for the determination of phosphonic acid (H3PO3) from 14 different plant matrices of Vitis vinifera L., wine, and soil were developed, validated, and compared. Extraction recoveries ranged from 95.1 to 99.3%. Limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged in liquid and solid samples from 3.8 to 16.8 µg/kg and 0.08 to 2.41 mg/kg for ICP-MS detection and from 39.9 to 593.7 µg/kg and 3.51 to 58.7 mg/kg for CD, respectively. Data on a current anonymized selection of 100 conventionally and 30 organically produced wines are briefly presented to demonstrate the suitability of the method.

Effects of a plant-derived biostimulant application on quality and functional traits of greenhouse cherry tomato cultivars.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of the application of a plant-derived biostimulant (Bioup® TF) on fruit quality and composition of two clusters (cluster II and cluster VI) of the cherry tomato cultivars 'Eletta', 'Kaucana', and 'Top Stellina'. The biostimulant application promoted fruit yield by 12% (up to 1.3 kg m-2 in 'Kaucana') and increased the concentrations of important functional constituents like phytoene, γ-tocopherol and ß-tocopherol by up to 16, 25, and 23%, respectively. Fruits from late-ripe cluster VI showed higher fruit weights, D-fructose, and total sugar contents than those from early-ripe cluster II (by 15, 7 and 5%, respectively), but reduced concentrations of acyclic carotenoids (phytoene and lycopene) and tocochromanols (mainly γ-tocopherol, -44%). 'Top Stellina' showed the highest responsiveness to the biostimulant, as particularly (all-E)-ß-carotene, phytofluene, and γ-tocopherol concentrations increased, indicating a genotype-dependent effect of the treatment. However, fruits of all treated genotypes showed a contextual decrease in D-fructose and total sugars in response to the biostimulant (on average by 7 and 10%, respectively), indicating a metabolic load burdening the accumulation of lipophilic antioxidants in cherry tomatoes at the expense of their taste-related C pool.

Comparative Evaluation of Juices from Red-Fleshed Apples after Production with Different Dejuicing Systems and Subsequent Storage.

In this work, two vintages (2019 and 2020) of red-fleshed 'Weirouge' apples were processed with the innovative spiral filter press technology to investigate juice production in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere. After pressing, a more brilliant red color and appreciably higher amounts of oxidation-sensitive constituents (ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and colorless (poly)phenols) were seen in spiral filter pressed juices compared to those produced with conventional systems (horizontal filter press and decanter). In a subsequent stability study (24 weeks storage at 4, 20, and 37 °C), the color and phenolic compounds were monitored and differences in the juices produced with the different pressing-systems were widely maintained during the storage period. The analyses of the anthocyanins and colorless (poly)phenols were conducted by UHPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-HR-MS/MS and UHPLC-DAD. The spiral filter press emerged as a promising technology for the production of juices with a more attractive color and a better retention of oxidation-sensitive constituents during processing and storage compared to conventional juices.

1H NMR spectrometry for methanol quantification in apple wines and ciders as optimised by comparison to SIDA-HS-GC-MS.

Methanol, a hepato- and neurotoxic compound, is present in apple-based beverages as a by-product of the enzymatic degradation of pectin. Stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) employing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is the state-of-the-art method for methanol determination in beverages. Despite higher initial investment costs, quantitative 1H NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) is a simpler and faster analytical technique to quantify numerous analytes in liquid foods. Beyond targeted analyses, qNMR spectral fingerprints in the product might be used for non-targeted analytical goals, such as adulteration and contamination detections. Here, an existing 1H-qNMR method used for wine profiling was optimised for methanol quantification in apple-based products, including cross-validation against a SIDA-HS-GC-MS method and reference values from interlaboratory trials. The optimisation involved a pivotally important estimation of a correction factor by an external calibration approach, making qNMR results comparable to SIDA-HS-GC-MS. The optimised qNMR method is suggested to be an alternative for methanol quantification in beverages.

Variability of Constitutive Stilbenoid Levels and Profiles in Grape Cane (Vitis vinifera L.) Depending upon Variety and Clone, Location in the Vineyard, Pruning Time, and Vintage.

Stilbenoids in grape cane (Vitis vinifera L.) are bioactive compounds relevant for plant defense and the potential valorization of this byproduct. Our screening of grape cane from 102 varieties showed constitutive stilbenoid levels in a wide range (557-7748 mg/kg of dry weight). Analyses of genetically distinct clones of selected cultivars unraveled that intravarietal variability (e.g., cv. Riesling, 3236-6541 mg/kg) was higher than that across samples from a single clone but different vineyard positions (3017-3710 mg/kg). Furthermore, stilbenoid levels in samples obtained in October, December, and February (3 years, 2017-2019) showed pronounced quantitative and qualitative variability and the highest yields upon December pruning. For instance, vitisin B and ε-viniferin in cv. Pinot Noir and Accent were predominant in 2017 and 2019 (both >90% of total stilbenoids) but not in 2018 (both <55%) when temperatures were high and precipitation low. In brief, we report the variability of stilbenoid levels in grape cane depending upon genetic and environmental factors.

Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry of retro-carotenoids.

RATIONALE: The single and double bonds of the polyene chain of the studied retro-carotenoids are located at the neighboring positions compared to those of regular carotenoids. Our mass spectrometry approach targeted at facilitating the characterization of retro-carotenoids as their structural diversity in nature is not yet fully elucidated. Moreover, extended π-electron systems endow several retro-carotenoids with exceptional colors from golden-orange to vibrant red that stimulate the food industry's interest. METHODS: Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight-high-resolution mass spectrometry (APCI-QTOF-HRMS) experiments of the three structurally related retro-carotenoids rhodoxanthin, eschscholtzxanthone, and eschscholtzxanthin were performed to elucidate the formation of specific ion species compared to those of the common carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. Mass fragmentations of the aforementioned retro-carotenoids were unraveled using APCI-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in the negative and positive ion modes. RESULTS: Abundant in-source fragment ions [M + H - H2 O]+ of eschscholtzxanthin and eschscholtzxanthone were formed in the positive ion mode owing to the loss of water at the hydroxylated ε-rings. Eliminations of the ε-rings at the characteristic exocyclic double bonds at C-6,7 and C-6',7' were observed after the resonance-stabilized loss of water. Distinct product ions were yielded for all retro-carotenoids assessed because of the cleavage at their typical central single bond at C-15,15'. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed APCI-QTOF-HRMS analyses enabled a highly accurate detection of the most abundant ion species and respective signal intensity ratios of retro-carotenoids, facilitating their further screening and reliable identification in natural sources. Mass fragmentations of the studied retro-carotenoids were found to be substantially impacted by the extraordinary configuration of their polyene backbone.

Evaluating the role of orange juice, HESPERidin in vascular HEALTH benefits (HESPER-HEALTH study): protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Although epidemiological studies associate the consumption of sugary beverages with adverse health effects, human experimental studies have demonstrated substantially different metabolic responses when 100% fruit juices are compared with artificial beverages. Fruit juices do not just provide sugars and associated calories, but they are also rich in bioactive compounds. Flavanones are bioactives specifically and abundantly found in citrus foods, with hesperidin as the major representative in sweet oranges. Flavanone intake has been associated with a lower incidence of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, clinical evidence are too scarce to confirm the vasculoprotective effects of 100% orange juice (OJ) presumably mediated by flavanones and thereby do not allow firm conclusions to be drawn about their efficacy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The HESPER-HEALTH study aims to assess the efficacy of OJ in improving vascular function and the contribution of hesperidin to these effects. This double-blind, randomised, controlled, crossover study will be carried out in 42 volunteers predisposed to CVD, based on age and on overweight. It includes three 6-week periods of consumption of 330 mL/d of OJ versus control drinks with and without hesperidin at a dose in agreement with a daily OJ serving (approx. 200-215 mg). The primary outcome is endothelial function, assessed by flow mediated dilation, with measurements performed at fasting and postprandially in response to a challenge meal. The secondary outcomes include bioavailability and metabolism of flavanones, changes in other markers of vascular function, systemic biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation, vitamin C and carotenoids status, anthropometry and body composition, gut microbiota composition, nutrigenomic response and in oxylipin profiling. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This ongoing study was approved by the Ethics committee Sud-Est III, Bron, France on 17 November 2020. The trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04731987; Pre-results.

Influence of processing steps on the fate of ochratoxin A, patulin, and alternariol during production of cloudy and clear apple juices.

Mycotoxins are frequently found in fruits and fruit juices. However, data about occurrence and fate of mycotoxins along the fruit juice processing chain are currently insufficient. Herein, a liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) multi-mycotoxin method was developed and applied to investigate the effect of technological unit operations on the fate of three of the most relevant mycotoxins along the processing chain for cloudy and clear apple juice, namely patulin (PAT), ochratoxin A (OTA), and alternariol (AOH). Raw juice obtained directly after dejuicing was spiked with the aforementioned mycotoxins at pilot-plant scale prior to subjecting it to different technological unit operations. Regarding clear apple juice production treatment with a pectinolytic enzyme preparation, and pasteurization were insignificant for mycotoxin reduction, but fining with subsequent filtration was effective, although the mycotoxins showed different affinity towards the tested agents. The most effective fining agent was activated charcoal/bentonite in combination with ultrafiltration, which removed OTA (54 µg/L) and AOH (79 µg/L) to not quantifiable amounts (limit of quantification (LOQ) 1.4 and 4.6 µg/L, respectively), while PAT was reduced only by 20% (from 396 to 318 µg/L). Regarding cloudy apple juice production, all studied processing steps such as centrifugation and pasteurization were ineffective in reducing mycotoxin levels. In brief, none of the common steps of clear and cloudy apple juice production represented a fully effective safety step for minimizing or even eliminating common mycotoxins. Thus, ensuring the sole use of sound apples should be of utmost importance for processors, particularly for those manufacturing cloudy juices.

Coumarins, psoralens, and quantitative 1H-NMR spectroscopy for authentication of lemon (Citrus limon [L.] Burm.f.) and Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia [Yu.Tanaka] Tanaka) juices.

Mutual adulterations of lemon and lime juices may be detected using coumarins and psoralens as markers. Poor manufacturing practices or legal but mechanically intense processing of lemons were recently suspected to lead to false accusations of deliberate adulterations with lime juices due to potentially unspecific markers. Therefore, we studied coumarin and psoralen profiles in carefully dissected flavedo, albedo, and endocarp of lime and lemon as well as in juices produced under variable mechanical stresses at laboratory and pilot plant scale. Although the marker herniarin was detectable in juices from lime and harshly extracted lemons at low levels, isopimpinellin, bergapten and the herein proposed, tentatively assigned 5-geranyloxy-8-methoxypsoralen represented unambiguously lime-specific markers. Coumarin and psoralen data also allowed differentiating juices produced at differing degrees of mechanical stress. The latter was also possible using quantitative 1H-NMR spectroscopy, which yielded best results when combined with HPLC data on coumarins and psoralens. In the future, the reported approach may be used for establishing a robust database prior to being used in industrial practice.

Carotenoid profiles of red- and yellow-colored arils of cultivars of Taxus baccata L. and Taxus × media Rehder.

The botanical delimitation of Taxus species and cultivars may be facilitated by characterizing the pigment profiles of their red- and yellow-fleshed arils. Therefore, we determined genuine carotenoid profiles of differently colored arils of seven defined cultivars of Taxus baccata L. and Taxus × media Rehder. In-depth HPLC-DAD-ESI/APCI-MSn analyses revealed the presence of 43 carotenoids. Exceptional retro-carotenoids dominated the profiles of all samples assessed. Rhodoxanthin (E/Z)-isomers were predominant in the red-colored arils, resulting in a rather unusual abundance of carotenoid isomers as expressed by ratios of up to 1.3:2.0:0.9 between (all-E)-, (6Z)-, and (6Z,6'Z)-rhodoxanthin, respectively. By contrast, the uncommon yellow arils of Taxus baccata L. 'Lutea' mainly contained eschscholtzxanthin (E/Z)-isomers and esters. Total carotenoid concentrations ranged from 17.00 to 58.78 µg/g fresh weight across all samples assessed. Highest total rhodoxanthin concentrations of 51.33 ± 0.46 µg/g fresh weight were obtained from the red arils of Taxus × media Rehder 'Hicksii'. Overall, Taxus arils represent a promising source of carotenoids and, in particular, of retro-carotenoids with exceptional molecular structures and extraordinary absorption properties.

Network analysis on Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic data sets in an Eigen space layout: Introducing a novel approach for analysing wine samples.

In the present work, Eigen-directed network analysis for Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic data sets of wine samples was introduced. A network can generally be viewed as a collection of nodes connected to each other through links, often also called edges. Herein, each node in the network represents a sample and the dissimilarity weight associated with the difference between the two connected nodes is described by the edge. The utility of the approach was tested by analysing a collection of 148 wine samples. The networking on FTIR data sets of these samples in the Eigen space layout was found to impart required aesthetic values as well as the chemical significance to the nodes positioning. The proposed approach successfully captured the compositional differences among the analysed wine samples and classified them in two groups. The Eigen-directed network analysis also allowed a swift assessment regarding inter- and intra-group homogeneity. Homogeneous groups were found to contain nodes with high degree of adjacency and edges with smaller lengths. In comparative study, the proposed approach was found to outperform the network analysis in force-directed layout and principal component analysis. In summary, the proposed Eigen-directed network analysis provided a simplified illustration of highly correlated spectral data sets enabling a swift and intuitive interpretation.

Characterization of the Pale Yellow Petal/Xanthophyll Esterase gene family in citrus as candidates for carotenoid esterification in fruits.

In orange-pigmented citrus fruits, the xanthophyll esters are the predominant carotenoids, but their biosynthetic origin is currently unknown. In this work, seven PYP/XES (Pale Yellow Petal/ Xanthophyll esterase) genes were identified in Citrus genomes, but only PYP1-4 and 6 contained the structural domains essential for activity. The PYP/XES expression profiles in sweet orange and in other Citrus species such as lemon, mandarin and pummelo with marked differences in fruit pigmentation and content of xanthophylls esters, showed the upregulation of PYP1,2 and 6 genes during ripening only in orange-pigmented fruits. Moreover, transcript levels of PYP1, 2 and 6 genes in peel and pulp of sweet orange were accompanied by the accumulation of xanthophyll esters during ripening. This work reports for the first time the PYP/XES gene family in Citrus and strongly suggests its involvement in xanthophyll esterification in citrus fruit tissues and its influence in carotenoid accumulation and fruit pigmentation.

Stabilisation of betalains and phenolic compounds extracted from red cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) by spray and freeze-drying using oca (Oxalis tuberosa) starch as drying aid.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the stabilisation of betalains and phenolic compounds extracted from red cactus pear by spray and freeze-drying. After hydroethanolic extraction and partial solvent removal under reduced pressure, the highly coloured extracts were enriched with oca starch and maltodextrin as drying aids in different ratios (100:0, 70:30, and 50:50, oca starch: maltodextrin) prior to spray and freeze-drying. The obtained microencapsulated extract powders were characterised by moisture content, hygroscopicity, solubility and morphology. In addition, the stability of the encapsulated betalains and phenolics was evaluated during storage at room temperature for 105 days. All microcapsules showed high retentions of betacyanins (69.9-86.5% after 105 days), betaxanthins (72.2-81.9%), phenolic compounds (46.5-63.5%) and antioxidant capacity (60.1-64.9%, FRAP method; 49.7-57.5%, ABTS method). The system with 70:30 starch:maltodextrin ratio as drying aids showed the highest values of retention regarding the polyphenol content (63.5%), antioxidant capacity (64.9% to FRAP method) and betacyanin content (86.5%), as well as a low degradation rate constant of betacyanins (1.23 × 10-3 days-1) and a long half-life (563 days). Oca starch used alone or in combination with maltodextrin has been shown to work adequately as a microencapsulating agent and stabilizer of pigments and antioxidants derived from red cactus pear.

Introducing a novel procedure for peak alignment in one-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy: a prerequisite for chemometric analyses of wine samples.

Shifted peak positions in 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy of wine samples are inevitably occurring mainly due to variations in the sample matrix, which consists of ethanol, glycerol, carbohydrates, acids, phenolic compounds, minerals, and aroma compounds. Slight variations in pH during sample preparation or fluctuations in instrumental factors may contribute to shifted peak positions that need to be corrected before subjecting the NMR data to chemometric techniques to ensure samples are compared on the correct chemical shift scale. In the current work, a novel procedure for correcting 1H-NMR spectroscopy peak positions was developed by mapping of the raw NMR spectra on a common chemical shift axis using a simple interpolation approach. The mapping allowed a substantial correction of peak positions and subsequently reduced the computational burden in further spectral processing. Fine-tuning of the peak alignments was carried out efficiently by interval-wisely applying the correlation optimized warping (COW) algorithm. Our preceding mapping approach enabled the use of substantially simpler alignment parameters of the COW algorithm, thereby accelerating the whole peak alignment process. The developed procedure may also be suitable for facilitating NMR analyses of other sample types, such as agricultural, clinical or pharmaceutical samples in targeted or untargeted analytical approaches.

The impact of (E/Z)-isomerization and aggregation on the color of rhodoxanthin formulations for food and beverages.

Rhodoxanthin is a scarcely explored carotenoid with an extraordinarily large chromophore and high potential to function as red pigment. We report broad ranges of color shades accessible with rhodoxanthin across an unprecedented wide range of (E/Z)-ratios by thermal (E/Z)-isomerization, lyotropic aggregation, and two different formulation techniques, covering shares of the (all-E)-configured isomer of 19-91%. At (E/Z)-ratios of 75 and 23%, rhodoxanthin (E/Z)-isomer mixtures in acetone revealed color hues (CIE-h°) ranging from 20-44° to 36-54°. Lyotropic aggregation of rhodoxanthin (E/Z)-isomer mixtures in acetone/water yielded red (CIE-h° = 29°) to purple (-7°) and red-orange (44°) to pink (9°) color hues at (all-E)-proportions of 73 and 20%, respectively. Red and purple color hues were produced by micronization using solvent-based emulsification (CIE-h° = 33-37°) and high-performance wet-milling (-6°). The presented technological strategies for formulating nature-identical rhodoxanthin into water-dispersible forms showed its potential as promising pigment for imparting red, pink, and purple color to foods and beverages.