Chemistry:Genipin
Genipin is a chemical compound found in Genipa americana fruit extract. It is an aglycone derived from an iridoid glycoside called geniposide which is also present in fruit of Gardenia jasminoides.[1]
Genipin is an excellent natural cross-linker for proteins, collagen, gelatin, and chitosan cross-linking. It has a low acute toxicity, with -1">50 i.v. 382 mg/kg in mice, therefore, much less toxic than glutaraldehyde and many other commonly used synthetic cross-linking reagents. Furthermore, genipin can be used as a regulating agent for drug delivery, as the raw material for gardenia blue pigment preparation,[2] and as the intermediate for alkaloid syntheses.[3]
In vitro experiments have shown that genipin blocks the action of the transporter uncoupling protein 2.[4]
Gardenia blue
The pigment Gardenia blue (E165) is made by reacting genipin with soy protein hydrolysate.[5]
References
- ↑ Ramos-de-la-Peña, A.M.; Renard, C.M.G.C.; Montañez, J.; Reyes-Vega, M.L.; Contreras-Esquivel, J.C. (2014), "A review through recovery, purification and identification of genipin", Phytochemistry Reviews 15: 37–49, doi:10.1007/s11101-014-9383-z
- ↑ "FDA Approves Gardenia (Genipin) Blue Color Additive While Encouraging Faster Phase-Out of FD&C Red No. 3" (in en). FDA. 14 July 2025. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-gardenia-genipin-blue-color-additive-while-encouraging-faster-phase-out-fdc-red-no-3.
- ↑ Brenda Vaandering, Genipin, http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/ch350/Projects_2006/Vaandering/Genipin.htm, retrieved 22 December 2019
- ↑ Zhang, CY; Parton, LE; Ye, CP; Krauss, S; Shen, R; Lin, CT; Porco Jr, JA; Lowell, BB (2006). "Genipin inhibits UCP2-mediated proton leak and acutely reverses obesity- and high glucose-induced beta cell dysfunction in isolated pancreatic islets". Cell Metabolism 3 (6): 417–27. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2006.04.010. PMID 16753577.
- ↑ "FDA approves new blue food dye derived from gardenia fruit". July 15, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-approves-blue-food-dye-gardenia-fruit/. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
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