Network for the Valorization of Plant Materials (VPMA)

Principal investigators: 
Dr. Mouhoussine Nacro: Université de Ouagadougou Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso) 
Dr. A.C. Oehlschlager: Université Simon Fraser, Vancouver (Canada) 

In Burkina Faso and neighbouring countries, a red pigment extracted from colouring Sorghum is traditionally used to dye leather, basketwork, calabashes and skin, as well as to colour food. Along with the efforts made by Burkina Faso to use local products, researchers from the University of Ouagadougou have found very high concentrations of anthocyanin compounds in the plant and the presence of 3 desoxy-anthocyanins. These are of great interest to the dye industry. In fact, the colouring Sorghum is the only known plant that contains significantly high concentrations of 3 desoxy-anthocyanins. The first phase of the project led to the confirmation of exceptionally high content in anthocyanins, with apigenidine (a 3 desoxy-anthocyanin) as a major compound. It also enabled the determination of the structure of this compound, the setting up a rapid and standard dosage method of anthocyanins, and the setting up an extraction process at laboratory level. The second phase eventually enabled the extraction and determination of the structure of minor anthocyanins present in the mixture. It also enabled to set up a pilot unit in order to find out extraction process producing a high quality product. The project also undertook the development of commercial uses of the product for regional and international markets.