**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE DEMAND FOR NATURAL FOOD COLORANTS, SUCH AS ANTHOCYANINS, CONTINUES TO GROW IN THE US AND WORLDWIDE, WITH THE US BEING THE LARGEST CONSUMER AND PRODUCER. HOWEVER, USE OF ANTHOCYANINS IS CHALLENGING DUE TO LOWER STABILITY, NON-UNIFORM YIELD, AND CHALLENGES TO MATCH THE DESIRED HUES, WHICH RESULTS IN HIGHER PRICES AND INTERMITTENT SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS. PURPLE CARROT IS ONE OF THE MOST USED SOURCE OF ANTHOCYANIN AS A NATURAL FOOD DYE SINCE IT CAN ACCUMULATE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ANTHOCYANIN AND MORE STABLE FORM OF ANTHOCYANIN. DESPITE THESE ADVANTAGES, ANTHOCYANINS ARE LARGELY EXTRACTED FROM CARROT CULTIVARS NOT BRED FOR ANT EXTRACTS, WHICH LIMITS THE ABILITY OF THE COLORANT INDUSTRY TO STANDARDIZE AND OPTIMIZE ANTHOCYANIN YIELD AND STABILITY. GENOMIC RESOURCES WITH POTENTIAL TO SELECT FOR ANT CONTENT AND PROFILES IN CARROT ARE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY BUT HAVE NOT BEEN TRANSLATED TO A PRACTICAL APPLICATION. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE: (1) LEVERAGE GENOTYPING AND PHENOTYPING CAPACITY TO SELECT FOR CARROT CULTIVARS THAT CAN MAXIMIZE ANTHOCYANIN YIELD AND STABILITY; (2) EVALUATE THE USE OF EXTERNAL FACTORS TO INCREASE ANTHOCYANIN ACCULATION; (3) EVALUATE EXTRACTION EFFICIENCY ACROSS GENOTYPES, AND IDENTIFY ANTHOCYANINS AND PHENOLIC ACID COMPOSITION THAT CAN CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASE STABILITY OF ANT EXTRACTS. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL FACILITATE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE AND STANDARDIZE ANTHOCYANINS YIELD, PRODUCT PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY; WHICH ARE CRITICAL STEPS TO SUSTAIN THE GROWING DEMAND OF ANT EXTRACTS FROM PURPLE CARROTS.THIS PROJECTADDRESSES PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY CODE: A1103, FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF PLANT PRODUCTS.