Lac Dye (Laccaic Acid) for Natiural Food Colour :
Lac Dye (Laccaic Acid): known as “Lakh Dye”, is one of the oldest insect dyes.
It is secreted by lac insects (Kerria lacca) to protect themselves from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
This dye is obtained during Seedlac (Chouri Lakh) preparation by washing Sticklac (Chili Lakh).
Lac Dye is used as a natural food colourant, cosmetic colourant, and fabric dye
Carmine: is a derivative of carminic acid obtained from the cochineal insect, namely Dactylopius coccus. These insects mainly thrive in cactus plants found in the American continent. Around 20% of their body weight consists of carminic acid. Carmine finds its major food applications in processed meats (sausages), red-coloured beverages, cakes, pastries, yoghurts, and alcoholic beverages
Name Source Colours
Anthocyanin Fruits, Flowers & Vegetables Red, Purple, Blue
Betalain Beetroots Pink, Red
Chlorophyll Leaves Green
Carotenoids Carrots Orange
Curcumin Turmeric Yellow
Carminic acid Cochineal insect Red
Lac Dye Lac insect Red
Anthocyanins: are water-soluble pigments belonging to the flavonoid family. They give attractive red, purple, violet and blue colours in many flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Anthocyanins show unique properties with the change in pH; their colour changes to red in acidic conditions and blue in alkaline conditions. They are mainly used in beverages, jams, and confectionery.
Betalains: are water-soluble nitrogen-containing heterocyclic pigments, which can further be categorised into betacyanins (red-violet) and betaxanthins (yellow-orange). Their major sources include red beetroot, dragon fruit, red amaranth, opuntia, bougainvillaea, etc. Extracted pigments lose stability in light, heat, and oxygen. However, they are structurally stable between pH 3-7, making them particularly suitable for frozen products with a low shelf life, such as ice cream and yoghurt.
Chlorophyll: is one of nature’s most widely distributed natural pigments that is a major component in light absorption. It is a fat-soluble natural pigment. It is used in various applications, including confectionery, baked foods, dairy products, and beverages.
Carotenoids: are fat-soluble natural pigments responsible for the orange, yellow, and red colouration of many fruits and vegetables. They can be further categorised into carotenes and xanthophylls. Major sources include tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, papaya, melons, bell peppers, marigolds, etc. Carotenoids are used in meat products (sausages), vegetable oils, and butter.
Apocarotenoids: these pigments are derived from carotenoids and are responsible for the colouration of many plant parts. One of the major apocarotenoids is bixin, which is found in the seeds of achiote (Bixa orellana) and extracted commercially to form annatto, a natural food colourant used in different cuisines and cheese, yoghurt, deserts, etc. Crocetin is another apocarotenoid found in the stamens of saffron. Commercially, it is extracted from the fruits of gardenia
Curcumin: is extracted from the rhizomes of turmeric. It is also a fat-soluble natural pigment used for centuries in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. It is used in various food items such as dairy and bakery products, beverages, pickles, confectionery, ice cream, meat and fish products, etc.
