Bioactive colorants for seafood applications

Abstract

A wide array of plant sources such as vegetables, fruits, seeds, roots and to a lesser extent, animal sources such as insects, algae, fungi and bacteria (including cyanobacteria) represent the source of natural pigments. Natural food colorant has been gaining popularity in fish and fishery products such and surimi, analogs, sausages, smoked fish and battered and breaded products due to its safety and health beneficial effect as well as increasing consumers demand of healthy products. Addition of color in fish products and shellfish analogs are an important element in making the product appealing to the consumers. The major commercial colorants used in fish products include carmine, caramel, paprika, paprika oleoresin, curcumin, annatto and cochineal extract. Apart from adding color, natural food colorant possesses excellent antioxidant properties and can be added in fish product to reduce the lipid oxidation during processing and storage. This chapter details the common natural colorants that are being used in fish products as a colorant, antioxidant or antibacterial compound.