Functional food and dietary supplement manufacturers have turned with increasing interest to tomato extract as a nutrient and as a natural food colorant. Tomatoes possess the antioxidant action of lycopene plus the health benefits of beta-carotene, tocopherols, phytoene, phytofluene and phytosterols. It is this combination of synergistic phytonutrients that renders the tomato a valuable source ingredient for functional foods. As a colorant, the lycopene that gives tomatoes their juicy red colour is an ideal alternative to artificial food colouring, providing natural colour and nutritional benefit.