Abstract:The paper reports the preliminary study on the feasibility of red pigment of Melastoma affine being used as a new type of natural food pigment. It was tested that the effects of light, temperature, pH value, oxide-reducing medium, 7 kinds of metal ions, and 3 kinds of food additives on stability of the pigment. The results showed that the pigment belongs to water-soluble anothocyanins. It is stable below 60 ℃ and pH<6 but sensitive to light intensity and oxidant. Fe3+, Cu2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ evidently degrade the pigment, but Na+,Mg2+, Al3+, glucose, sucrose and sodium benzoate have no harmful effect on it.