A Review of Copigmentation, the Types and the Factors Affecting It

There is a demand for food colorants from natural sources that can serve as alternatives to the use of synthetic dyes. Anthocyanins demonstrate a high potential to be used as natural colorants due to their attractive orange, red and purple hues and water solubility that allows their incorporation into aqueous food systems. Different factors affect the color and stability of these compounds. For this reason many studies have been conducted with the aim of increasing the stability of these substances. There are several mechanisms applied in the process of anthocyanins stabilization whose main mechanisms are including: encapsulation and copigmentation. Encapsulation method has some drawbacks as the requirement for sophisticated equipments and high percentage of losses obtained in the process. Copigmentation can be a valuable, natural tool for improving the color of anthocyanin rich food products. Anthocyanin copigmentation gives brighter, stronger, and more stable colours than those of natural anthocyanin. This study provides an overview of copigmentation reaction types and the factors which affect its properties.