Colorful Plates: Natural Food Pigments Natural Pigment 1: Anthocyanins, red color

Natural pigments give the vibrant colors of the fruits and vegetables, and also each pigment has its own health benefits. Prof. Dr. Sibel Ozilgen explains with examples the four most common natural pigments and the ways to protect them during processing as a part of 'Foods and Their Specifications' course at the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, Yeditepe University.

Students learn the sources of anthocyanin pigment as one of the most common pigments in foods and the effects of different factors on this pigment as a part of 'Foods and Their Specifications' course taught by Prof. Dr. Sibel Ozilgen at the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, Yeditepe University. Anthocyanins are the main pigments found in red fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, cherries, beets, red grapes, apples, and tomatoes (called lycopene in tomatoes). Anthocyanins are very sensitive to acidity of the medium. At high acidic medium (i.e., with lemon addition), they are red to pink, at low acidic medium are blue to purple.