**4. Sea fennel as a new spice-colourant**

The sea fennel (*Crithmum maritimum* L.) belongs to the family Apiaceae of grows wild on maritime rocks, piers, sandy beaches along the Mediterranean sea. This is consumed as a traditional vegetable due its sensory traits like salty and similar tastes to celery, common fennel and peel of green citrus along with some pungency in many countries.

#### **Bio-colours as health enhancers**

Bio-colourants are prepared from renewable sources and the majority are of plant origin. In addition to food colouring, bio-colourants also act as anti-oxidant (chilli), anti-obesity (kokum), anti-carcinogenic (turmeric), anti-asthmatic (tamarind) and anti-depressant (saffron) and thereby prevent several diseases and disorders in human beings [25].
