Natural Pigments from Edible Flowers: Extraction and Applications

Chemical compounds known as pigments have the ability to absorb light in the visible spectrum. Pigmentation is the fundamental process for producing flower colour. Flavonoids, betalains, chlorophylls, and carotenoids are the four main pigment classes that make up the wide variety of floral colours. Each pigment class has a unique chemical composition that ultimately influences the particular wavelength it absorbs and, consequently, the colour it produces. The most common and varied class of pigments in angiosperms is flavonoids. Anthocyanins, aurones, chalcones, flavanols, flavones, and flavanones are a few notable categories of flavonoids. However, anthocyanins are the flavonoids that give flowers their widest range of colour. Considering the stability and appropriate extraction technique to be used is among the most important aspects of exploring the extraction of pigments from plant sources. Both conventional and unconventional methods of extraction are employed. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches vary. After decades of study and development, these natural pigments have been identified for their health benefits, and prospective use in food, medicine, cosmetics, and other segments has been emphasised. The demand for natural pigments has grown as a result of public awareness of the negative consequences of synthetic colourants.