Leung Bo-Shan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-159). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.v / List of Abbreviations --- p.vi / List of Tables --- p.viii / List of Figures --- p.ix / Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Food colorants --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Caramel --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Classes of caramel --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Toxicological studies of caramel --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Castanea mollissima --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4 --- Antioxidants --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Background --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Methods used to evaluate the antioxidative activity --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4.2.1 --- DPPH* scavenging method --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.2.2 --- High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5 --- Microtox® test --- p.19 / Chapter 1.6 --- Mutatox® test --- p.19 / Chapter 1.7 --- Methods used to evaluate the functions of major organs --- p.20 / Chapter 1.7.1 --- Liver --- p.20 / Chapter 1.7.2 --- Kidneys --- p.23 / Chapter 1.8 --- Toxicology --- p.25 / Chapter 1.8.1 --- Acute toxicity test --- p.25 / Chapter 1.8.2 --- Chronic toxicity test --- p.26 / Chapter 1.9 --- Objective --- p.27 / Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1 --- Plant materials --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2 --- Sample preparation --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3 --- Pigment characterization --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Stability test --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- HPLC separation of CP --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Determination of antioxidative activity with the DPPH* scavenging method --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4 --- Microtox® test --- p.33 / Chapter 2.5 --- Mutatox® test --- p.34 / Chapter 2.6 --- Acute toxicity test --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Animals --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Housing and maintenance --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Experimental design --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6.4 --- Chemicals --- p.39 / Chapter 2.6.5 --- Clinical pathology test --- p.41 / Chapter 2.6.5.1 --- Haematology --- p.41 / Chapter 2.6.5.2 --- Blood chemistry --- p.45 / Chapter 2.6.5.3 --- Urinalysis --- p.55 / Chapter 2.6.6 --- Histological study --- p.57 / Chapter 2.6.7 --- Statistical analysis --- p.57 / Chapter 2.7 --- Chronic toxicity test --- p.59 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Animals --- p.59 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- Housing and maintenance --- p.59 / Chapter 2.7.3 --- Experimental design --- p.59 / Chapter 2.7.4 --- Chemicals --- p.60 / Chapter 2.7.5 --- Clinical pathology test --- p.61 / Chapter 2.7.5.1 --- Haematology --- p.61 / Chapter 2.7.5.2 --- Blood chemistry --- p.62 / Chapter 2.7.5.3 --- Urinalysis --- p.62 / Chapter 2.7.6 --- Histological study --- p.62 / Chapter 2.7.7 --- Statistical analysis --- p.62 / Chapter 3 --- Results --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1 --- Pigment characterization --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Stability test --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- HPLC separation of CP --- p.63 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Antioxidative activities of CP preparations --- p.63 / Chapter 3.2 --- Microtox® test --- p.65 / Chapter 3.3 --- Mutatox® test --- p.65 / Chapter 3.4 --- Acute toxicity test --- p.66 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Growth rate --- p.66 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Food and fluid consumption --- p.66 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Organ-weight --- p.66 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Clinical pathology tests --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4.4.1 --- Haematology --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4.4.2 --- Blood chemistry --- p.70 / Chapter 3.4.4.3 --- Urinalysis --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Histological study --- p.76 / Chapter 3.5 --- Chronic toxicity test --- p.77 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Growth rate --- p.77 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Food and fluid consumption --- p.77 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Organ-weight --- p.77 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Clinical pathology tests --- p.78 / Chapter 3.5.4.1 --- Haematology --- p.78 / Chapter 3.5.4.2 --- Blood chemistry --- p.80 / Chapter 3.5.4.3 --- Urinalysis --- p.82 / Chapter 3.5.5 --- Histological study --- p.82 / Chapter 4 --- Discussion --- p.137 / Chapter 4.1 --- Pigment characterization --- p.137 / Chapter 4.2 --- Toxicological studies of CP --- p.140 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.147 / References --- p.148