Previous pageTable of contentsNext page


*agroforestry system a mixed cropping system - involving trees, other plants and often animals - which has been created within or on the verge of a natural forest or artificially as an agricultural innovation
colour, natural a colouring material for foodstuffs, derived from a natural source, or, of synthetic origins but identical chemically to a naturally occurring compound
olour, nature identical a synthetically produced chemical compound which is identical in all respects to the compound found as a colour component of a natural source
*colourant, natural the dried part of a plant or animal (or an extract thereof) which is employed to impart a colour to foodstuffs
dye a chemical compound of natural or synthetic origin which is soluble in the medium used to impart a colour to textiles and other non-food products
*dyestuff, natural a dye obtained from a natural source (plant or animal)
E number the code number assigned by the European Community to approved food additives of natural or synthetic origin
extract, natural the product obtained by extraction of natural (vegetable) materials with water, vegetable oils or organic solvents
fastness/fast colour the ability of a dye to withstand colour fading in the dyed material on repeated exposure to light or washing
lake a chemical complex formed by the treatment of certain colourants and dyestuffs with metal salts
mordant a metallic salt which combines both with the dye and the fibre being dyed and improves colour fastness
*non-wood forest product (NWFP) a natural product, other than wood, derived from a tree or other plants or animals in a forest system
oleoresin, spice the product obtained by extraction of a spice with an organic solvent and which contains the soluble non-volatile and volatile substances originally present in the raw material
*pigment, natural the specific chemical compounds which are responsible for the visible colour in live plants
synthetic a material produced by chemical synthesis
* denotes a definition used for the specific purpose of this review; in other texts, these terms may be defined differently
Previous pageTop of pageNext page