Chlorophyll and carotenoid analysis in food products. Properties of the pigments and methods of analysis

Chlorophylls and carotenoids are very common pigments, which give colour to vegetables and several fruits. Because of their colour and their physico-chemical properties, they are also used as additives to food products. Both pigment types are fragile and can be easily altered or destroyed, modifying the perception and the quality of the products. To control the pigment content of food products, analytical processes, including nondestructive methods have been developed. The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview on these methods.