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Overview of Plant Pigments

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Pigments in Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

Chlorophylls, carotenoids, flavonoids, and betalains are four major classes of biological pigments produced in plants. Chlorophylls are the primary pigments responsible for plant photosynthesis. The other three are accessory pigments and secondary metabolites that possess much more diverse structures and functions in plants and more potential nutritional and medicinal benefits in the diet. This overview briefly covers the basics of the three accessory pigments and hopefully leads to an active interest in these beneficial compounds and an increasing intake of pigment-rich fruits and vegetables.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, USA

    Chunxian Chen PhD

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  1. Chunxian Chen PhD
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Correspondence to Chunxian Chen PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory, USDA, ARS, Byron, Georgia, USA

    Chunxian Chen

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Chen, C. (2015). Overview of Plant Pigments. In: Chen, C. (eds) Pigments in Fruits and Vegetables. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2356-4_1

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