Investigation into food coloring using anthocyanin- and carotenoid-based preparations

Color represents the most important food trait influencing consumers' acceptability of food as well as their shopping and eating behavior. Currently, consumers demand safe, natural and sustainable food additives, encouraging food producers to apply solely consumer-friendly colors originating from plants. This thesis provides in-depth insights into plant-derived pigments suitable for the on-going replacement of undesired colorants and the stabilization of genuine food colors. New approaches for the characterization of pigments in planta and their exploitation as food additive or ingredient are outlined, including insights into their stabilization within food products, their efficient liberation during digestion, as well as their acceptability by consumers.