International journal of advanced scientific and technical research Issue 3 volume 3, May-June 2013 Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954 RSPUBLICATION, rspublicationhouse@gmail.com Page 22 SCOPE OF BETALAINS AS A FOOD COLORANT Anuja Agrawal* Research scholar, Chemistry department, Delhi Technological University (Government of NCT of Delhi), Bawana Road, Delhi-110042, India _______________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: Consumers are avoiding foods containing synthetic colorants, which lead food industries to replace them by natural pigments. Food colorants may be classified into synthetic, nature-identical, inorganic and natural colorants. Natural colorants for food are made from renewable sources. Generally, the colorants are extracted from plant material, but other sources such as insects, algae, cyanobacteria and fungi are used also. Natural colorants are normally extracted and concentrated using either water or lower alcohols for water-soluble pigments and organic solvents for lipophilic pigments. But Legislation restricts which colorants are allowed, what sources may be used for that particular colorant, what solvents may be used to extract it and the purity of the pigment. Colorants are formulated to make them more suitable for a variety of foods and drinks and to increase their stability. Key words: Food colorants, Natural colorants, Pigments, stability. _______________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION: Color is an important characteristic of food. First impressions are based on the color of the food. Human beings, like most animals, come in contact with their surroundings through color, and things can or cannot be acceptable based on their color characteristics Is the fruit immature, ripe, or overripe? Is the food fresh? Based on these first impressions, a judgment is made whether the food is safe to eat or not and whether it can be good in taste or not. Since color is closely associated with expectations, the addition of color to food is a way to fulfill these expectations. Color is