Purpose of Study <p>Roselle contains a rich source of anthocyanin, that are well-known for their health-promoting properties and are used as functional food ingredients that significantly impact the prevention of numerous illnesses. It has a high potential in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry but their application has been limited because of their instability and low extraction percentage. Proper handling and storage, efficient extraction methods and encapsulation can overcome these limitations. The present study reviews the prospective uses of roselle, processing and value addition, extraction techniques, utilization and applications in food systems.</p> Findings <p>Safety and physiological advantage of natural colorants over synthetic has increased the search of natural colorants and verification of the safety of existing ones. Roselle calyces appear to be good and promising sources of water-soluble red colorants that can be utilized as natural food colorants, function food ingredients with many pharmacological and nutritional benefits.</p> Summary <p>Roselle (<i>Hibiscus sabdariffa</i> L.) is a versatile plant that has numerous nutritional benefits. It contains significant amounts of vitamins (niacin, ascorbic acid, pyridoxine), minerals such as magnesium, potassium and is an inexpensive source of vegetable protein, fiber. Due to its many appealing advantages, this plant is gaining more and more attention. Roselle calyx can be processed into varieties of food products such as flavoring for sauces, jellies, marmalades and soft drinks or to use as a colorant for foods.</p>