Animal Foods & Plant Commodities: Milk, Egg, Meat Composition, Fruits, Vegetables, Natural Colourants & Phytochemicals

• Chemical Action of Mordants in Natural Dyeing:
• In natural textile dyeing, metallic salts (mordants) fix dyes onto fibers and modify hue intensity:
• Iron (Ferrous sulfate / Copperas): Known as the saddening agent; it reacts with tannins and natural dye chromophores to dull, darken, and sadden all colors, shifting yellows to olive green and reds to deep purple/black.
• Tin (Stannous chloride): Brilliant brightening mordant.
• Alum (Potassium aluminum sulfate): Clear, neutral mordant maintaining bright natural shades.
• Chrome (Potassium dichromate): Imparts rich warm tones.
• Conclusion: Iron (Option 1).

Correct option: (1) Iron

• Nutritional Composition of Milk:
• Rich Nutrient Sources in Milk:
• Calcium: Excellent concentration (approx. $120\text{ mg}/100\text{ g}$) with superior bioavailability assisted by lactose and casein phosphopeptides.
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): Abundant water-soluble vitamin giving whey its yellowish-green fluorescence.
• Vitamin A: Retinol and carotenoids present in milk fat globule membranes.
• Nutritional Deficiencies in Milk:
• Milk is notoriously lacking in Iron (A) and Vitamin C (E).
• Conclusion: (B), (C) and (D) only (Option 3).

Correct option: (3) (B), (C) and (D) only.

• Natural Food Colorants vs Synthetic / Toxic Additives:
• Safe Natural Food Pigments:
• Betanin: Red-violet betacyanin extracted from beetroot (Beta vulgaris).
• Anthocyanins: Water-soluble polyphenolic flavonoid pigments found in berries, purple cabbage, and grapes (red, purple, blue hues).
• Carotenoids: Fat-soluble pigments abundant in carrots, tomatoes, and paprika (yellow, orange, red hues).
• Forbidden / Synthetic Pigments:
• Amaranth (A): Synthetic coal-tar monoazo red dye with strict regulatory restrictions.
• Malachite green (E): Toxic industrial triphenylmethane dye strictly prohibited in food.
• Conclusion: (B), (C) and (D) only (Option 3).

Correct option: (3) (6), (C) and (D) only.