PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for efficiently extracting and purifying red beet pigment of high purity and high concentration from red beet roots without denaturing and isomerizing betanin which is a main pigment component of red beet.SOLUTION: Red beet pigment is produced by a process of extracting red beet roots with water at 0-30°C or a 0.1-0.5 g/L citric acid aqueous solution, adjusting the pH of the obtained extraction liquid to 2.0-4.0 and then performing centrifugal separation, adjusting the pH of supernatant obtained after the centrifugal separation to 1.5-2.0 and then bringing the supernatant into contact with a synthetic adsorbent, and, after washing the synthetic adsorbent with water, eluting the adsorbed pigment components with an alcohol aqueous solution or an alcohol aqueous solution containing sodium hydroxide. Alternatively, the red beet pigment is produced by a process of adding, to the obtained extraction liquid, ammonium sulfate to 70% saturation and then performing centrifugal separation, bringing supernatant obtained after the centrifugal separation into contact with a reverse-phase resin or a synthetic adsorbent, and, after washing the reverse-phase resin or the synthetic adsorbent with water or a citric acid aqueous solution, eluting the adsorbed pigment components with an alcohol aqueous solution or an alcohol aqueous solution containing citric acid.SELECTED DRAWING: None【課題】赤ビートの主色素成分であるベタニンを変性・異性化させることなく、高純度・高濃度な赤ビート色素を、赤ビート根から効率的に抽出、精製する方法を提供する。【解決手段】赤ビート根を０～３０℃の水又は０．１～０．５ｇ／Ｌクエン酸水溶液で抽出処理し、得られた抽出液をｐＨ２．０～４．０に調整した後に遠心分離し、この遠心分離後の上清をｐＨ１．５～２．０に調整した後に合成吸着剤に接触させ、この合成吸着剤を水洗後に吸着した色素成分をアルコール水溶液又は水酸化Ｎａ含有アルコール水溶液で溶出する工程、あるいは、得られた抽出液に７０％飽和となるように硫酸アンモニウムを加えた後に遠心分離し、この遠心分離後の上清を逆相系樹脂又は合成吸着剤に接触させ、この逆相系樹脂又は合成吸着剤を水又はクエン酸水溶液で洗浄後に吸着した色素成分をアルコール水溶液又はクエン酸含有アルコール水溶液で溶出する工程により、赤ビート色素を製造する。【選択図】なし
