22-10-2012, 05:58 PM
Biocolorants and its implications in Health and Food Industry
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Abstract:
Color is the main feature of any food item as it enhances the appeal and acceptability of food. During
processing, substantial amount of color is lost, and make any food commodity attractive to the consumers,
synthetic or natural colours are added. Several types of dyes are available in the market as colouring agents to food
commodities but biocolorants are now gaining popularity and considerable significance due to consumer awareness
because synthetic dyes cause severe health problems. Biocolorants are prepared from renewable sources and
majority are of plant origin. The main food biocolorants are carotenoids, flavanoids, anthocyanidins, chlorophyll,
betalain and crocin, which are extracted from several horticultural plants. In addition to food coloring, biocolorants
also act as antimicrobials, antioxygens and thereby prevent several diseases and disorders in human beings.
Although, biocolorants have several potential benefits, yet tedious extraction procedures, low colour value, higher
cost than synthetic dyes, instability during processing etc., hinder their popularity. Although, it is presumed that
with the use of modern techniques of biotechnology, these problems in extraction procedures will be reduced, yet
to meet the growing demand, more detailed studies on the production and stability of biocolorants are necessary
while ensuring biosafety and proper legislation.
Keywords: Biocolorants, Anthocyanins, Betalains, Carotenoids, Flavonoids, Synthetic dyes, Biotechnology.
INTRODUCTION
Color is the main feature of food, which
determines it appeal to the consumers. Biocolorants
are those coloring agents, which are obtained from
the biological sources. Biocolorants are mainly
derived from pigments like anthocyanidin,
carotenoids etc., However, there are biocolorants,
which are not pigments in any state like structural
color and light emitting luciferin1. Color is added to
food for one or more of the following reasons: to
replace color in the food, which is lost during
processing, to enhance color of the food already
present, to minimize batch-to-batch variations, to
color otherwise uncolored food, and to supplement
food with nutrients2.
The chemistry of natural colours cannot fail
to fascinate and intrigue and has become the most
important part of any commodity3. In the past few
years, the availability and use of natural colorants has
greatly increased4 as a consequence of perceived
consumer preference as well as legislative action,
which has continued the delisting of approved
artificial dyes5. The current consumer preference for
naturally derived colorants is mainly because these
are healthy and have good quality.
THE NEED FOR BIOCOLORANTS
Colors derived from minerals (lead
chromate, copper sulphate) may cause serious health
problems22 and environment hazardous effects23.
Thus, in the last few decades, synthetic additives
have been severely criticized, and consumers show
reluctance towards these products, consequently they
prefer to use the natural colorants 23 & 24. In the 1960s
in the US, the environmental activists made several
demonstrating against the use of synthetic colorants
and this attitude was spread out widely. Activists
campaigned for the natural colorants highlighting
their nutritional characteristics as a sales tool. As a
result, the number of permitted artificial colors has
reduced considerably, and the interest of the
consumers in natural colorants has increased
significantly 25 & 26. Because of health and hygiene,
nutrition, pharmaceutical activities, fashion and
environmental consciousness, indicate relative
dependency on natural products besides, of good
market value fetched by the natural colored
products1, and as of now, natural colorants have
become the major alternatives to synthetic
colorants13. Possible reasons for use of colorants in
food substances are enumerated27 as under:
MARKET VALUE OF THE BIO-COLORANTS
Natural colors lost their appeal with the
synthetic colors arrived on the scene, as they provide
less consistency, heat stability and color range than
their chemical alternatives. The market for natural
carotenes has declined since the introduction of
synthetic colour. Moreover, natural colors are more
expensive and unstable in nature. The leading
markets for natural colours in the EU are the UK,
Germany, France, Italy and Spain28. Recently, there
is also a growing market in emerging economy
countries like China, India and South Korea1.