Thermal and pH Stability of the Red Seaweed (Rhodophyceae) Phycoerythrin Pigments from Kupang, Indonesia

Abstract This is a study of a red seaweed sample taken from the seawaters of Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Red seaweed utilization as a producer of bioactive compounds is potential to be developed further due to the presence of phycoerythrin (PE) pigment. The phycoerythrin (PE) pigment is extracted using phosphate buffer solvent. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of heat treatment at temperatures ranging from 30° to 80°C on the stability of the antioxidants and proteins in PE pigment. Moreover, the study will also endeavor to learn the effect of adding buffer solutions on the stability of the antioxidants and proteins in PE pigment with pH values ranging from 3 to 8. The study on the stability of K2 red seaweed phycoerythrin (PE) pigment sample from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara revealed that it remains stable even after being exposed to a 60°C temperature and a fairly wide range of pH buffers. The K2 pigment sample has an R-PE of 0.031 ml/mL. Meanwhile, the R-PE pigment purity index is 0.041 and the yield is 0.042%.