Melanoidins, the complex bio-polymer of amino-carbonyl compounds are widely distributed in food, drinks but if it was discharged into a water resource system that affect as environmental pollutants. Adsorption is a potential method to remove the color from the food or environment. Therefore, this research studied on the adsorption of synthetic melanoidins by chitin nanofibers prepared from shrimp shell waste. The results showed that the adsorption of melanoidins with chitin nanofibers was increased when increasing temperature, giving values of 131, 331 and 353 mg/g at 20 degrees C, 40 degrees C and 60 degrees C, respectively, which were higher than other chitin-derived adsorbents. In addition, the b value of chitin nanofibers also had a high affinity and strength for melanoidins adsorption at low concentration higher than other chitin-derived adsorbents. The results from Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and elution studies confirmed that the interaction between melanoidins and chitin nanofibers involved both electrostatic and chemical adsorption. For application in the sugar industry, chitin nanofibers can be used for adsorption of melanoidins and other pigments from sugar syrup. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.