lautnusantara.com The red color of cooked octopus is caused by a natural pigment called astaxanthin.

• Astaxanthin in Chromatophores: Octopuses have special pigment cells in their skin called chromatophores. These cells contain several types of pigments, including the reddish-orange astaxanthin. In a living octopus, these cells can contract and relax, changing the size and intensity of the color they display. This allows the octopus to camouflage and communicate.
• Protein Structure Changes During Heat: When octopus is cooked, heat causes the proteins in its skin and flesh to denature, or change structure. This denaturation process breaks down the protein bonds that previously hid the astaxanthin pigment.
• Astaxanthin Becomes Dominant: As the proteins change, the astaxanthin pigment becomes more visible and dominant, resulting in the distinctive red or pink color of cooked octopus.

So, the red color of cooked octopus is not the result of added coloring agents, but rather the natural color of the astaxanthin pigment that becomes more pronounced after the heating process changes the protein structure in the octopus's body. The same pigment is also responsible for the red color of other marine animals such as shrimp, lobster, and cooked salmon.

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