ABSTRACT
Proteins are only indirectly involved in the color o f foods with respect to absorption o f light energy in the 380-to 760-nm-wavelength range. T he three roles that proteins do have that affect the color properties o f foods are: (1) light-scattering effects resulting in product lightness (or whiteness), (2) participation in browning and enzymatic reactions, and (3) serving as a carrier/ligand for prosthetic chrom aphores su ch as in myoglobin, fiav o p ro te in s , and cytochromes.
