Nutraceutical pigments sourced from flower crops-An appraisal

Horticultural crops are considered as rich source of pigments and are being commercially exploited worldwide for extraction of pigments from various fruits and vegetables. Flowers are the major source of natural pigments amongst horticultural crops. Synthetic pigments dominate the trade worldwide however, due to increased awareness about the ill effects of these pigments on human health and environment, now-a-days research is oriented towards identification and isolation of pigments from natural sources as these are safe to human use and are eco friendly. Although flowers possess a wide range of pigments but their commercial exploitation is limited. In India, there have been very few published reports on isolation and characterization of pigments and their antioxidant activities in important flower crops. Moreover, private sector has been more active in development of pigment products both in India and across the world. Hence, this review will provide sufficient baseline information for further research on the pigments from flower crops.