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Abstract
Essential non-wood forest products utilized in a variety of industries, such as food, textiles, and cosmetics, are natural colorants and dyes. Natural dyes that are safe for the environment are becoming more popular as synthetic colours become less popular due to worries about their possible carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. A customer's perception of flavour and decision to buy a product are influenced by colour, which is an important component of food quality. Colour additives have been used in food since the Bronze Age in Europe and were first recorded in China circa 2600 BC. The Asteraceae family includes the marigold flower, Tagetes erecta L., which is an important source of natural colorants. Although it is widely grown in countries like China, it is native to Mexico and South America. Lutein makes up 80–90% of the total carotenoids in Tagetes erecta flowers, making it one of the best natural sources of the xanthophyll carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein. Terpenoids, phenolic substances (like chlorogenic acid), and flavonoids (like quercetin and rutin) are other important phytochemicals found in marigold. Antibacterial, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, antiepileptic, anti-diabetic, anti-depressant, mosquitocidal, and anti-fungal properties are only a few of the many pharmacological activity exhibited by T. erecta. Marigold is a versatile crop from an industrial standpoint. Its natural colorants, lutein and zeaxanthin, are used in the food industry to give items a yellow-to-orange hue, and in the poultry sector to improve the colour of egg yolks and broiler skin. Additionally, it is used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors, agriculture as a bio-fumigant, and textiles for environmentally friendly dyes.