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Pigments as Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Their Chemistry, Extraction, Bioactivity,...
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Pigments as Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Their Chemistry, Extraction, Bioactivity, and Applications

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 2617

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lourdes Morales-Oyervides

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Boulevard Venustiano Carranza y José Cárdenas Valdez, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
Interests: bioprocess; optimization; natural colorants; scale-up; biorefinery
Prof. Dr. Julio Cesar Montañez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Boulevard Venustiano Carranza y José Cárdenas Valdez, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
Interests: natural pigments; novel technologies; food engineering; bioprocess

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The food industry is increasingly adopting natural pigments derived from plants and microorganisms in response to stricter regulations on artificial colors. These pigments, primarily synthesized for cellular photoprotection and antioxidant effects, not only produce vivid coloration but also deliver significant health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Their incorporation into food products enhances visual appeal while aligning with the growing demand for functional, clean-label ingredients. This trend presents a substantial market opportunity for innovative, nutritionally enhanced food products that meet evolving consumer preferences. Despite their promise, notable challenges remain regarding the effective application of natural pigments. A comprehensive understanding of their chemical structures, stability, and interactions with diverse food matrices is essential. Moreover, developing efficient and scalable extraction methodologies is critical to preserve both their stability and bioactivity during food processing and storage. Overcoming these obstacles will pave the way for industrial-scale production and the commercialization of natural pigments.

This Special Issue invites original research articles and reviews on topics including, but not limited to, novel natural pigment sources for food, detailed investigations into their bioactive properties (such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects), innovative extraction methodologies, pigment stability under various processing conditions, and advanced delivery systems for incorporating pigments into complex food matrices.

Dr. Lourdes Morales-Oyervides
Prof. Dr. Julio Cesar Montañez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • natural pigments
  • functional food
  • novel extraction
  • pigments stability
  • microbial pigments
  • delivery systems
  • shelf life
  • antioxidant

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1105 KB  
Article
Anthocyanin-Rich Pigment Supplements in the Australian Online Market: Sources, Labelling Practices, and Bioactivity Claims
by Ravish Kumkum, Katherine M. Livingstone, Kathryn Aston-Mourney, Bryony A. McNeill and Leni R. Rivera
Foods 2026, 15(6), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15060992 - 11 Mar 2026
Viewed by 811
Abstract
Amid growing consumer interest in the health benefits of anthocyanins, the market for anthocyanin-based dietary supplements has expanded substantially. However, data on product composition and health claims in the Australian online market remains limited. This study characterises anthocyanin-based dietary supplements available online in [...] Read more.
Amid growing consumer interest in the health benefits of anthocyanins, the market for anthocyanin-based dietary supplements has expanded substantially. However, data on product composition and health claims in the Australian online market remains limited. This study characterises anthocyanin-based dietary supplements available online in Australia (July–August 2024), examining product origin, botanical sources, formulation, extract concentration, delivery formats, anthocyanin content disclosure, health claims, serving sizes and pricing patterns. Among the 121 products analysed, bilberry, elderberry, and tart cherry were the most commonly used anthocyanin sources, collectively representing 47% of the market. Capsules were the dominant delivery format (86%), and reported extract concentrations varied widely, with lower ratios (1–10:1) being most prevalent. Only 18% of products disclosed anthocyanin content (0.1–36%), with bilberry supplements accounting for the majority of reported values. Health claims were present on 69% of products and varied by source, with bilberry products most frequently promoting vision health, elderberry emphasising immune support, tart cherry targeting joint and exercise recovery, and cranberry focusing on urinary tract health. Declared extract (mg per serving) ranged from 10 mg to >1500 mg. Pricing varied substantially across products (AUD 0.02–7.40 per gram; mean AUD 0.78/g), with bilberry supplements consistently among the most expensive. Overall, these findings highlight considerable variability in formulation, disclosure, and health claim practices, underscoring the need for improved transparency and evidence-aligned representation of anthocyanins as bioactive pigments in the Australian nutraceutical market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigments as Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Their Chemistry, Extraction, Bioactivity, and Applications)
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18 pages, 2445 KB  
Article
Eutectic Mixtures Based on Oleic Acid and Pulsed Electric Fields: A Strategy for the Extraction of Astaxanthin from Dry Biomass of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous
by Javier Marañés, Alejandro Berzosa, Fernando Bergua, Javier Marín-Sánchez, Javier Raso and Manuela Artal
Foods 2025, 14(13), 2371; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132371 - 4 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1293
Abstract
The use of astaxanthin (AST) is expanding from its origins as a food coloring to health-related applications. This paper evaluates the efficiency of its extraction from dried Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous using two combined and consecutive techniques. First, cell membrane permeation is achieved with the [...] Read more.
The use of astaxanthin (AST) is expanding from its origins as a food coloring to health-related applications. This paper evaluates the efficiency of its extraction from dried Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous using two combined and consecutive techniques. First, cell membrane permeation is achieved with the application of pulsed electric fields (PEFs). Solid–liquid extraction is then performed with hydrophobic eutectic solvents (hESs) prepared by mixing components of essential oils (linalool, l-menthol, eugenol, geraniol, cinnamyl alcohol, or thymol) and oleic acid. The hESs were characterized by measuring of several thermophysical properties at 25 °C and 0.1 MPa. An initial screening was performed to choose the best solvent and the extraction conditions (composition, extraction time, and temperature) were evaluated using the response surface methodology. The results showed the importance of the electroporation as a preliminary step to the extraction. The more hydrophobic and less compact the hES, the more effective the solvent. Thus, the equimolar mixture of l-menthol and oleic acid achieved an efficiency of 77% for untreated biomass, 83% for that treated with PEF, and 92% for that treated with PEF and later incubated. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the importance of the hydrophobic interactions between AST and the components of the best solvent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigments as Bioactive Compounds in Foods: Their Chemistry, Extraction, Bioactivity, and Applications)
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