Chapter 8 - Chlorophylls

Abstract

Chlorophylls are ubiquitous pigments in the plant kingdom that play a key role in photosynthesis, a vital function for life on Earth. This chapter covers the main issues needed to recognize the value of chlorophylls and their derivatives in food technology, including aspects related to the structures naturally present in foods, arising from biosynthetic and catabolic processes, food processing, and cooking operations. In addition, common analytical procedures to isolate chlorophyll standards and available methods to identify and characterize the chlorophyll profile of food products and extracts will be presented. The intricate structural arrangements of the basic tetrapyrrole structure responsible for a wide range of chlorophyll-related derivatives and their susceptibility to undergo oxidation processes when out of their genuine cellular organelles are challenges for the development of analytical methodologies and industrial applications as coloring matter. A review of the existing chlorophyll formulations produced to give or reinforce green hues in foods is issued with special emphasis on their composition and current legal regulations.