Structure, physicol chemical properties and analitical method, description of the location, biosynthesis of pigments and biochemical changes which occur during early fruit development, maturation and senescence and factors affect these changes; Chlorophylls; Anthocyanins; Carotenoids.

This comprehensive treatise provides a systemic and insightful overview of current advances in the biosynthetic genomics/genetics and preventive dietetics of carotenoids, flavonoids and betalains, from a general perspective, and in specific fruits and vegetables as well. Genomics/genetics focuses on what and how enzymatic and regulatory genes are involved in pigment biosynthesis. Dietetics emphasizes how these pigments contribute nutritional/medical benefits to health, prevent diseases, and act as potential nutraceuticals in the diet. The goal is to provide research scientists, nutrition specialists, healthy food advocates, students, and rainbow food (fruit and vegetable) lovers with an integrated resource on the biosynthetic and dietetic mechanisms of these pigments.

Handbook on Natural Pigments in Food and Beverages: Industrial Applications for Improving Color, Second Edition focuses on a color solution for a specific commodity, providing food scientists with a one-stop, comprehensive reference on how to improve the color of a particular food product. The book includes two new chapters that highlight the physical and biological fundamentals of color, as well as the specific use of curcumin and carthamin. Sections focus on specific industrial applications of natural colorants, with chapters covering the use of natural colorants in a variety of products. Other sections highlight technical formulation and potential health benefits of specific colorants. Various pigments which can be used to effectively color food and beverage commodities are presented with information on safety and testing throughout. - Provides a fully revised and updated resource on current regulatory standards and legislation - Includes new chapters on both emerging ingredients and the latest technologies - Focuses on the use of natural food colorants by specific product category per chapter rather than one pigment class per chapter - Contains a current and comprehensive overview of product-specific coloration approaches

Flavonoids are abundant secondary metabolites found in plants and fungi that have various roles in these organisms, including pigmentation, cell signalling, plant defence and inter-organism communication. Due to their abundance in nature, flavonoids are also important components of the human diet, and the last four decades have seen an intense study focused on the structure characterization of flavonoids and on their roles in mammal metabolism. This book reviews most of the well-established activities of flavonoids, and we also present more recent research studies on the area of flavonoids, including the chemical aspects of structure characterization of flavonoids, the biosynthesis of flavonoids in model plants as well as their role in abiotic stress situations and in agriculture, the role of flavonoids in metabolism and health and their importance in foods, from consumption to their use as bioactive components.

In recent years there has been an unprecedented expansion of knowledge about anthocyanins pigments. Indeed, the molecular genetic control of anthocyanins biosynthesis is now one of the best understood of all secondary metabolic pathways. There have also been substantial improvements in analytical technology that have led to the discovery of novel anthocyanin compounds. Armed with this knowledge and the tools for genetic engineering, plant breeders are now introducing vibrant new colors into horticultural crops. The food industry has also benefited from the resurgence of interest in anthocyanins. A greater understanding of the chemistry of these pigments has led to improved methods for stabilizing the color of anthocyanins extracts, so that they are more useful as food colorings. Methods for the bulk production of anthocyanins from cell cultures have been optimized for this purpose. Possible benefits to human health from the ingestion of anthocyanin-rich foods have also been a major feature of the recent scientific literature. Anthocyanins are remarkably potent antioxidants, and their ingestion has been postulated to stave off the effects of oxidative stress. These pigments, especially in conjunction with other flavonoids, have been associated with reductions in the incidence and severity of many other non-infectious diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. An industry is developing around anthocyanins as nutritional supplements. Finally, there has been significant progress in our understanding of the benefits of anthocyanins to plants themselves. Originally considered an extravagance without a purpose, anthocyanins are now implicated in multifarious vital functions. These include the attraction of pollinators and frugivores, aposematic defense from herbivores, and protection from environmental stressors such as strong light, UVB, drought, and free radical attacks. Anthocyanins are evidently highly versatile, and enormously useful to plants. This book covers all aspects of the biosynthesis and function of anthocyanins (and related compounds such as proanthocyanidins) in plants, and their applications in agriculture, food products, and human health. Featured areas include their relevance to: * Plant stress * Flower and fruit color * Human health * Wine quality and health attributes * Food colorants and ingredients * Cell culture production systems * The pastoral sector

This volume looks at new and established processing technologies for fruits and vegetables, taking into consideration the physical and biochemical properties of fruits and vegetables and their products, the challenges of the processing industry, the effect of processing on nutritional content, economic utilization of bio-wastes and byproducts, and much more. Divided into several sections, the volume covers: processing and antioxidant/enzyme profiles of fruits and vegetables (role of antioxidants and enzymes in processing, use of solar energy in processing, and techniques used in making processed products from fruits and vegetables) novel processing technologies in fruits and vegetables (ultraviolet light, pulsed light technology, hurdle technology, physical and biochemical properties) the challenges and solutions in waste reduction, negative effects of processing, and effects of processing on vitamins of fruits and vegetables