Anthocyanin Pigments—Bioactivity and Coloring Properties

Anthocyanin pigments are responsible for the attractive red to purple to blue colors of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and cereal grains. In plants they serve as attractants for pollination and seed dispersal, give protection against the harmful effects of UV irradiation, and provide antiviral and antimicrobial activities. Anthocyanin‐based colorants are commercially manufactured for food use from horticultural crops and from processing wastes. There is a large body of knowledge on anthocyanin chemistry in the literature that includes established, systematic methods for identifying anthocyanins and measuring their concentration and color properties. Structural variation (B‐ring substitution, glycosidic substitution, and acylation) produces a multiplicity (over 400) of anthocyanins. Color intensity and hue, as well as stability, are markedly affected by pH, which can be a major limitation for many food applications. Increased glycosidic substitution and acylation with cinnamic acids will improve pigment stability. However, the matrix in which the pigments exist can have a much greater impact on pigment degradation. Anthocyanin pigments are very effective scavengers of free radicals. Currently, there is much research activity on their possible health benefits. While anthocyanin‐based colorants are universally approved for food use, there are considerable regulatory differences among countries.