Basidiomycete pigments as sustainable food colorants and stabilizers: from fungal biology to industrial potential

Pigmented Basidiomycete fungi are emerging as multifunctional and environmentally friendly substitutes to man-made food coloring. In addition to their bright colors, pigments from these fungi, including melanin, pulvini acids, carotenoids, and phenoxazines, also exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-microbial, and even potential therapeutic effects. Fungal pigments offer greater stability under processing conditions compared to those of plant origin and can be cost-effectively produced by biotechnological culture, particularly agro-waste-based fermentation systems. This review provides an overview of the chemical diversity, biosynthesis, and extraction of pigments from food and non-food Basidiomycetes such as the genera Cantharellus , Pycnoporus , Boletus , Pleurotus , and others. Particular emphasis is on their applications in the food and nutraceutical industries, challenges in scaling up and regulatory aspects, and future prospects of fungal biotechnology as a renewably available source of natural pigments.