食品及其原料中的黑色素研究进展

食品及其原料中的黑色素近年来得到了广泛研究。每一类黑色素的品种繁多、形成机制多样化、结构复杂。黑色的动物类、菌类、植物类食品或原料中一般都含有一定量的黑色素；人造黑色素-焦糖色素广泛地应用于各种加工饮料和食品中。研究表明，可食用黑色素具有抗氧化性、抗癌性、抗菌和抗炎性、降血压或血脂、螯合金属离子和有益于肠胃健康等功能特性；酚类氧化形成的黑色素还具有护肝和调节免疫功能的特性。伴随人类饮食，每日都有一定量的黑色素摄入体内，但对于各种食品或饮料及其原料中存在的黑色素或人造焦糖色素本身尚无具有毒性方面的研究证据。为此，本文对一些常见于食品及其原料中的三类黑色素（包括天然生物合成类、美拉德反应生成类和人工合成焦糖类）的形成、结构组成与特征、含量、各种重要功能特性和食用安全性进行了系统的论述，以期为食品及其原料中各类黑色素或人造黑色素的开发利用提供参考。

Progress of Research on Melanin in Foods and Their Materials

Melanin in food and its raw materials has been widely studied in recent years. Each kind of melanin has many types, various formation mechanisms and complicated structures. Black animal, fungus, plant food or raw materials generally contain a certain amount of melanin. Artificial melanin caramel pigment is widely used in variously processed beverages and foods. Research results indicates that, edible melanin has antioxidant activity, anticancer ability, antimicrobial capacity, anti-inflammation, hypotensive or hypolipemia function, metal ion chelation and beneficial effect on intestines and stomach system. The melanin derived from the oxidation of polyphenols has the property of liver protection and immune function adjustment. With the human diet, a certain amount of melanin is taken into the body every day, but there is no research evidence of toxicity of melanin or artificial caramel pigment in various foods or beverages and their raw materials. Therefore, this paper systematically discusses the formation, structural composition and characteristics, content, various important functional characteristics and edible safety of three kinds of melanin (including natural biosynthesis, Maillard reaction and synthetic caramel) commonly used in some foods and their raw materials to provide reference for the development and utilization of various melanins or artificial melanins in foods and their raw materials.