Abstract
The food industry is still seeking natural plant-derived alternatives to synthetic and insect-based dyes, which are under disrepute due to potentially harmful effects to human health. However, when applying plant pigments to food, their limited stability needs to be considered. The diversity of mostly unknown exotic fruits and vegetables offers a promising range of novel pigment sources. This chapter highlights the enormous potential of some of these sources as food colorants providing red, yellow-orange, blue, and green hues. Besides coloring properties, the presented novel pigment sources are characterized by assumed health-promoting properties, suggesting their additional use as functional food ingredients. Because most of these food colorants are considered “novel,” their approval often requires stringent food safety assessments in most countries worldwide. In addition to the suggested novel pigment sources, colorants currently available are listed, and legal limitations, chemical properties, color characteristics, and stabilities of the novel pigment sources are discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Handbook on Natural Pigments in Food and Beverages
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
