The chromogenic mechanism of natural pigments and the methods and techniques to improve their stability: A systematic review

Pigments have become a very important part of food research, not only adding sensory properties to food, but also providing functional properties to the food system. In this paper, we review the source, structure, modification, encapsulation and current status of the three main types of natural pigments that have been studied in recent years: polyphenolic flavonoids, tetraterpenoids and betaines. By examining the modification of pigment, the improvement of their stability and the impact of new food processing methods on the pigments, a deeper understanding of the properties and applications of the three pigments is gained, the paper reviews the research status of pigments in order to promote their further research and provide new innovations and ideas for future research in this field.