Natural colors are extracted using various methods depending on the source material and intended use. Common techniques include:
- Solvent extraction: Using water, alcohol, or other solvents to dissolve pigments
- Mechanical pressing: Physical extraction of colored juices or oils
- Fermentation: Using microorganisms to release or modify pigments
For food applications, water-soluble pigments like beetroot red or turmeric yellow are commonly used. In textile dyeing, natural dyes often require mordants – metal salts that help bind the color to fabric. For example, indigo from woad or true indigo plants undergoes a special fermentation process to become usable for dyeing, while cochineal insects are processed to create carmine red dye.