Ma'anar ƙamus na "launi" wani abu ne da ake ƙarawa a abinci don ba shi takamaiman launi ko launi. Ana iya samun launin abinci daga tushen halitta kamar kayan lambu, 'ya'yan itatuwa, da kayan yaji, ko kuma suna iya zama roba. Ana amfani da canza launin abinci a cikin masana'antar abinci don haɓaka sha'awar kayan abinci na gani da kuma rama asarar launi na halitta yayin sarrafawa. Ana kuma amfani da ita wajen dafa abinci da yin gasa a gida don cimma launukan da ake so a cikin abinci kamar waina, sanyi, da abin sha.