Pyridinium barbiturate was examied as a possible coloring agent for reducing sugars and some biologic carbonyl compounds. Reducing sugars produced with this reagent brown colors too pale and unstable in test tube and chromatograhic tests to be useful as a coloring agent. However, pyruvic acid and a few other carbonyl acids gave pink color and it is expected that this reagent can be used if the reaction conditions are selected. Glyoxal gave deep red color and this reagent should be a good coloring agent for dicarbonyls. The condensation products of pyridinium barbiturate and pyruvic acid and glyoxal were isolated.