Why does wolfberry turn red when soaked in water?

Many people who use wolfberries to make wine or water know what color wolfberries will turn into after being soaked. The color of wolfberries will definitely turn red after being soaked in water, but some people find that the color is very strong and very red after using wolfberries to soak in water. Some people even dare not believe that this is the red color emitted by wolfberries, so they dare not drink such wolfberries soaked in water at all, which is a waste of materials. So why do wolfberries turn red after being soaked in water?

Wolfberry is a commonly used Chinese medicine with the function of nourishing the liver and kidneys, improving essence and improving eyesight. The original plant is the mature fruit of Ningxia wolfberry, a plant of the Solanaceae family. Ningxia Zhongning products have the best quality. The identification method is as follows: genuine wolfberries are spindle-shaped, slightly flat, 6-21mm long, 3-10mm in diameter, bright red or dark red on the surface, slightly shiny, thick, sweet and slightly sour. The common fake wolfberries on the market are oval or spherical in shape, slightly pointed at both ends, 3-10mm long, about 5mm in diameter, with a dull surface, thin flesh, and a slightly sweet, sour and slightly bitter taste. Some unscrupulous vendors soaked dried wolfberries in alum water. When this counterfeit product was exposed to light, there were bright sparkles on the surface of the medicinal material. The fruit appeared plump and hard, and it was prickly to hold. There were translucent crystals on the surface, and it tasted sour and astringent like alum.

Generally speaking, genuine wolfberries will discolor slightly when soaked in water, but those that discolor severely may have artificial colors added.

Wolfberry is the dried mature fruit of the Ningxia wolfberry plant of the Solanaceae family. It is mainly produced in Ningxia. It is spindle-shaped or oval, with a red or dark red surface and a slight luster. The color will become darker and darker after being stored for a long time. It tastes sweet and slightly sour and bitter. Its main components are polysaccharides, carotene and riboflavin. Because the carotene contained in wolfberry is also a natural pigment, when it dissolves into water it will turn the water into yellow-red, which is a natural and normal phenomenon.

However, the Food and Drug Administration reminds consumers that if they come across wolfberries whose surface color is too bright red or whose water turns very red after being soaked in water, they should be cautious when purchasing and eating them.

If the color of wolfberry soaked in water turns red normally, then it is usually the color brought by wolfberry. However, under normal circumstances, the red color of wolfberry soaked in wine is not very red. If the color is red, it is also very light. If you use wolfberry to soak wine and find that the color is very red, you should consider that you have bought a counterfeit product. Eating such wolfberry can cause a lot of harm to your body.