Exploiting the Thermotropic Behavior of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose to Produce Edible Photonic Pigments

Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) is a widely commercialized derivative. While it typically used as binder or stabilizer for foods and pharmaceuticals, can also form cholesteric liquid crystal in aqueous solution. Moreover, at high HPC concentrations this lyotropic thermotropic mesophase known to reflect structural color. However, remains challenge retain vibrant coloration into the solid state. Herein, by combining emulsification of with drying elevated temperature, microparticles are produced that color across visible spectrum, from blue green red. This method provides facile scalable pathway fabricate structurally colored, edible pigments, which displace existing synthetic additives wide range cosmetics.