Facile formation of caramel colours using the polysaccharide material that is extracted from the fruit of Azanza garckeana

The mucilage from Azanza garckeana fruit was extracted with water and the extract heated at 130°C in the presence of ammonium salts. When the mucilage, composed of galactose, glucose, arabinose and rhamnose units, was heated, a brown colour was formed. When water was not allowed to evaporate off, the extent of colour formation depended on the initial concentration of the mucilage. The amount of soluble colour that was initially formed decreased as the viscous mass was transformed into a friable insoluble mass. The presence of ammonium salts and pH had only a small effect on the development of colour.