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In the food industry, E163 Anthocyanins are used as natural colorants in beverages, dairy products, confectionery, jams, jellies, and bakery products.
In functional foods and supplements, E163 Anthocyanins are valued for antioxidant and potential health-promoting properties.
In cosmetics, E163 Anthocyanins are used for natural coloring and antioxidant benefits.
CAS Number: Not single; e.g. Cyanidin-3-glucoside: 7084-24-4
(Anthocyanins are a group of compounds; values vary depending on specific molecule)
EC Number: 600-081-6 (group entry for anthocyanins)
Molecular Formula: Variable (typical example: C₂₁H₂₁O₁₁⁺ for cyanidin glycosides)
Molecular Weight: Variable (commonly ~400–900 g/mol depending on glycosylation)
SYNONYMS:
Anthocyanins, Anthocyanidins (aglycone forms), Natural red-purple pigments, E163, Flavonoid pigments, Berry pigments, E163, E163a, E163b, E163c, E164d, E164e, E165f, Anthocyanine, Cyanidin, Red Delfinidin, Blue Malvidine, Pink Pelargonidin, Orange Peonidin, Red-Brown Petunidin, 11029-12-2
E163 Anthocyanins are water-soluble plant pigments belonging to the flavonoid group.
E163 Anthocyanins are responsible for the red, purple, and blue colours seen in many flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Common E163 Anthocyanins-rich foods include e.g. berries, grapes, red cabbage, black carrot and cherries.
E163 Anthocyanins refers to anthocyanins, a group of naturally occurring water-soluble pigments found in fruits, vegetables, and flowers such as berries, grapes, red cabbage, and blackcurrants.
E163 Anthocyanins belong to the flavonoid class and are responsible for red, purple, and blue colors.
E163 Anthocyanins are widely used as natural food colorants and are valued not only for their coloring properties but also for their antioxidant activity and potential health benefits.
E163 Anthocyanins are typically red, purple, or blue powders or extracts depending on pH and composition.
E163 Anthocyanins are odorless and have a mild taste.
E163 Anthocyanins are highly soluble in water and polar solvents due to their glycosidic structure.
E163 Anthocyanins are generally insoluble in non-polar organic solvents.
E163 Anthocyanins do not have a fixed melting or boiling point because they are a mixture of compounds and tend to decompose upon heating.
Chemically, E163 Anthocyanins are glycosylated flavonoids with a flavylium cation core.
E163 Anthocyanins' structure includes aromatic rings and multiple hydroxyl groups.
E163 Anthocyanins have a key property, which is pH-dependent color change.
*Red in acidic conditions.
*Purple in neutral conditions.
*Blue/green in alkaline conditions.
E163 Anthocyanins are sensitive to light, heat, oxygen, and pH, which can lead to degradation and color loss.
E163 Anthocyanins are characterized by red, purple, and blue coloration.
E163 Anthocyanins have strong pH-dependent color variation.
E163 Anthocyanins have high water solubility.
E163 Anthocyanins have a polyphenolic structure.
E163 Anthocyanins have antioxidant properties.
E163 Anthocyanins have sensitivity to environmental factors (light, heat, oxygen).
E163 Anthocyanins have a natural origin from plant sources.
E163 Anthocyanins exist in many forms depending on the aglycone (anthocyanidin) and sugar moieties attached.
Common anthocyanidins include cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin.
E163 Anthocyanins' color and stability are influenced by co-pigmentation, metal complexation, and environmental conditions.
Compared to synthetic dyes, E163 Anthocyanins are less stable but preferred for “clean label” products.
E163 Anthocyanins are natural water-soluble pigments, ranging from red to blue, extracted from fruits and vegetables like grape skins and red cabbage.
Used as food colorants (E163), E163 Anthocyanins offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential cardiovascular benefits.
E163 Anthocyanins are considered safe, non-toxic, and suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.
E163 Anthocyanins are extracted from edible plant materials, including grapes (E163i), blackcurrants, berries, red cabbage, and sweet potatoes.
Appearance of E163 Anthocyanins: Colors range from red to blue depending on the pH, with acidity levels altering the stability and color tone.
E163 Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins represent a wide group of natural colorants.
The color of most fruits, flowers and forest fruits is the result of some combination of E163 Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins.
The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species.
E163 Anthocyanins (i)-(iii) are mixtures.
E163 Anthocyanins are widely used, but the colorants are unstable, being influenced by temperature, light and pH.
E163 Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a broad group of natural colorants.
These colorants are found in fruits, flowers, berries, and combinations of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins.
E163 Anthocyanins always contain carbohydrate molecules, while anthocyanidins contain very few of these molecules.
Individual components are extracted from different species.
E163 Anthocyanins (i)-(iii) is a mixture.
E163a cyanidin; red.
E163b delphinidin; blue.
E163c malvidin; pink.
E164d pelargonidin; orange.
E164e peonidin; reddish-brown.
E165f petunidin; dark red.
The products are widely used, but color is rarely unstable.
Temperature, light, and pH can affect the color.
E163 Anthocyanins are derived through the extraction of the Black Carrot, a carrot variety known for its intense red colour, followed by dehydration through atomization.
E163 Anthocyanins are available in liquid and powder formats.
E163 Anthocyanins are applicable to soft drinks, wines, liqueurs, confectionery in general, juices, jams and other products, provided that the final pH is acidic.
Food additive E163 Anthocyanins represents a group of natural colorants — anthocyanins.
E163 Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments of plant vacuoles that color fruits, leaves, and flowers in red, purple, or blue shades depending on the acidity of the medium.
The name itself comes from the Greek words anthos (“flower”) and kyanos (“blue”).
The molecules of anthocyanins (colorant additive E163) belong to the flavonoid group, which is part of the glycosides class.
E163 Anthocyanins should not be confused with anthocyanidins: the latter do not contain sugar in their structure.
In nature, E163 Anthocyanins perform several functions at once: they give plants bright colors to attract pollinators and at the same time protect cells from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation.
The highest content of E163 Anthocyanins is found in blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, black currants, grapes, and a number of other plants.
The structure of E163 Anthocyanins molecules was first determined by the German chemist-biologist Richard Willstätter in 1913, and in 1928 the English chemist Robert Robinson first synthesized these compounds under laboratory conditions.
E163 Anthocyanins are highly sensitive to pH: in an acidic medium they acquire a bright red color, in a neutral one they turn purple, and in an alkaline medium they shift to bluish and blue shades.
Today, the industrial production of E163 Anthocyanins is based on extracting anthocyanins from plant raw materials — red cabbage, black carrot, grapes, currants, and other crops rich in these pigments.
According to the international system of classification and numbering of food additives Codex Alimentarius: CXG 36-1989, E163 Anthocyanins is subdivided into several subtypes depending on the raw material:
E163(ii) — grape skin extract
E163(iii) — black currant extract
E163(iv) — colorant from purple corn
E163(v) — colorant from red cabbage
E163(vi) — black carrot extract
E163(vii) — colorant from purple sweet potato
E163(viii) — colorant from red radish
E163(ix) — colorant from elderberry
E163(x) — colorant from hibiscus
E163(xi) — extract of butterfly pea flowers
In European legislation, according to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, all these pigments are labeled with a single code E163 Anthocyanins, without subdivision into subtypes.
E163 Anthocyanins belong to the phytochemical group of Flavonoids and are found in nature, in fruit, vegetables, tea, red wine they are recognizable by their blue pigmentation.
E163 Anthocyanins have strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and their colour depends on the degree of hydroxylation/methylation, on the pH level (with flowers over time they tend to become darker due to transporters that carry potassium ions instead of protons) and from chelation with metals (e.g. the addition of a metal to hydrangeas makes it turn blue).
E163 Anthocyanins belong to the flavonoid family.
These molecules consist of a molecule of benzene fused with a pyran (a heterocyclic ring containing oxygen), in turn linked with a phenyl group, which can then be linked to different substituents.
This complex molecule is called the flavy cation which is the basic structure of all anthocyanins.
The color of E163 Anthocyanins can change depending on the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the environment in which they are present.
Common uses include beverages, frosting, ice cream, confectionery, fruit preparations, and yogurt.
E163 and E163(ii), anthocyanins and anthocyanidins, represent a broad group of natural colorants that give red, blue, and purple hues to many fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
They belong to the flavonoid group of phytochemicals and are recognized not only for their vibrant colors but also for their potential health benefits.
In the context of food additives, they are noted with the number E163.
These colorants are widely used, but they are unstable and influenced by temperature, light, and pH levels.
E163 Anthocyanins are pigments that are highly soluble in water and give many fruits, vegetables, and flowers their striking blue, red, and purple colors.
Today, over 200 different sources of E163 Anthocyanins have been identified worldwide.
The color of most E163 Anthocyanins changes as an indicator depending on the pH of the environment.
E163 Anthocyanins take on a purple-red color at low pH values and a green-blue color at higher pH values.
The colors of E163 Anthocyanins are pH-dependent; the color weakens as the pH increases.
The pigment that gives black carrots their color is E163 Anthocyanins.
It is a natural pigment that gives them their red color in acidic environments.
E163 Anthocyanins change color according to the pH of the environment.
E163 Anthocyanins take on a red color in pH <5 environments, a purple color in neutral pH environments, and a blue color in pH >9 environments.
Some natural sources of E163 Anthocyanins include red grape skins, purple sweet potatoes, elderberry, red radish, and red cabbage.
E163 Anthocyanins (from Ancient Greek ἄνθος (ánthos) 'flower' and κυάνεος/κυανοῦς (kuáneos/kuanoûs) 'dark blue'), also called anthocyans, are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, pink, purple, blue, or black.
In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart named a chemical compound that gives flowers a blue color, Anthokyan, in his treatise Die Farben der Blüthen (English: The Colors of Flowers).
Food plants rich in anthocyanins include the blueberry, raspberry, black rice, black carrot and black soybean, among many others that are red, pink, blue, purple, or black.
Some of the colors of autumn leaves are derived from anthocyanins.
E163 Anthocyanins belong to a parent class of molecules called flavonoids synthesized via the phenylpropanoid pathway.
E163 Anthocyanins can occur in all tissues of higher plants, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits.
E163 Anthocyanins are derived from anthocyanidins by adding sugars.
E163 Anthocyanins are odorless and moderately astringent.
USES and APPLICATIONS of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
Cosmetics: E163 Anthocyanins are used in lipsticks, eyeshadows, and other makeup products for their natural coloring properties and ability to provide vibrant shades.
Colorant: 163 Anthocyanins have the primary function of colouring the solution in which it is inserted in a temporary, semi-permanent or permanent manner, either alone or in the presence of the complementary components added for colouring.
Uses of E163 Anthocyanins: Soft drinks, jams, ice cream, wines, yoghurt, sweets, preserves.
Other Uses of E163 Anthocyanins: Vitamin tablets.
E163 Anthocyanins are widely used across industries.
In the food industry, E163 Anthocyanins are used as natural colorants in beverages, dairy products, confectionery, jams, jellies, and bakery products.
In functional foods and supplements, E163 Anthocyanins are valued for antioxidant and potential health-promoting properties.
In cosmetics, they are used for natural coloring and antioxidant benefits.
In pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, E163 Anthocyanins are studied for potential roles in cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory effects, and eye health.
E163 Anthocyanins are used to color beverages, confectionary, desserts, ice cream, fruit preparations, bakers jam and non-standard jellies and preserves, sherbets, ices, pops, raspberry, yogurt, gelatin desserts, candy, and bakery fillings and toppings.
E163 Anthocyanins are primarily used in the food industry to impart a red color.
Due to their antioxidant properties, E163 Anthocyanins are also used in functional foods.
Areas of application for E163 Anthocyanins in the food industry include: confectionery, dairy products, beverages, fruit fillings, dried red fruits, some canned goods, jams, jellies, marmalades, breakfast cereals, processed fish and seafood, and fruit and vegetable preparations.
-Applications of E163 Anthocyanins in the Food Industry:
Because E163 Anthocyanins are water-soluble and naturally bright, they are best suited for low-pH applications and therefore widely used as natural colours in applications such as:
*Beverages,
*Jams and fruit preparations,
*Confectionery,
*Bakery fillings,
*Yogurts and dairy drinks,
*Desserts and instant mixes,
*Water ice,
E163 Anthocyanins provide particularly strong red, purple, and berry-like shades in acidic pH-environment.
-Dye-sensitized solar cells
E163 Anthocyanins have been used in organic solar cells because of their ability to convert light energy into electrical energy.
The many benefits to using dye-sensitized solar cells instead of traditional p-n junction silicon cells, include lower purity requirements and abundance of component materials, as well as the fact that E163 Anthocyanins may be produced on flexible substrates, making them amenable to roll-to-roll printing processes.
-Visual markers
E163 Anthocyanins fluoresce, providing a useful tool for plant cell research by enabling live-cell imaging without the need for additional fluorophores.
In biotechnology, E163 Anthocyanins production can be engineered into genetically modified materials, allowing their visual identification through distinct pigmentation
-Use E163 Anthocyanins as environmental pH indicator
E163 Anthocyanins may be used as pH indicators because their color changes with pH; they are red or pink in acidic solutions (pH < 7), purple in neutral solutions (pH ≈ 7), greenish-yellow in alkaline solutions (pH > 7), and colorless in very alkaline solutions, where the pigment is completely reduced.
-Food Industry uses of E163 Anthocyanins:
E163 Anthocyanins (E163) are used to provide natural colors to products such as beverages, candies, yogurt, ice cream, and jams.
Their natural origin makes E163 Anthocyanins particularly valued in organic or natural formulations.
STABILITY CHARACTERISTICS of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are sensitive to:
*Oxygen – leads to oxidative discolouration
*High pH – colour degradation
*Metal ions – can cause colour changes or unwanted complexation
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are obtained by maceration or extraction with sulphited water, acidified water, carbon dioxide, methanol or ethanol from the strains of vegetables and edible fruits, with subsequent concentration and/or purification if necessary.
E163 Anthocyanins contain common components of the source material, namely anthocyanine, organic acids, tannins, sugars, minerals etc., but not necessarily in the same proportions as found in the source material.
HOW ARE E163 ANTHOCYANINS AND E163(ii) OBTAINED?
E163 Anthocyanins are the european code for food additives referring to anthocyanins.
These are water-soluble flavonoid compounds found in the vacuoles of plant tissues.
Primary sources for obtaining E163 anthocyanins include berries, grapes, red cabbage, and purple corn.
Each of these sources offers a unique profile of E163 Anthocyanins, contributing to different shades of red, purple, and blue.
The extraction process for E163 Anthocyanins involves crushing plant material and using solvents like ethanol or water to separate the anthocyanins.
The resulting extract is then purified and concentrated for use in food products.
E163ii is a specific form of anthocyanin extracted from blackcurrants.
It is part of the broader E163 Anthocyanins category and has a specific designation due to its deep, rich color and high anthocyanin content.
The extraction process for E163ii is similar to that for general anthocyanins but is tailored to optimize the color extraction from blackcurrants, ensuring a high concentration of the desired pigments.
E163 ANTHOCYANINS-RICH PLANTS:
Coloration
In flowers, the coloration that is provided by anthocyanin accumulation may attract a wide variety of animal pollinators, while in fruits, the same coloration may aid in seed dispersal by attracting herbivorous animals to the potentially-edible fruits bearing these red, blue, black, pink, or purple colors.
In fruits, the same coloration may aid in seed dispersal by attracting herbivorous animals to the potentially edible fruits bearing these red, blue, black, pink, or purple colors.
Plant physiology
E163 Anthocyanins may have a protective role in plants against extreme temperatures.
Tomato plants protect against cold stress with E163 Anthocyanins countering reactive oxygen species, leading to a lower rate of cell death in leaves.
Light absorbance
The absorbance pattern responsible for the red color of E163 Anthocyanins may be complementary to that of green chlorophyll in photosynthetically active tissues such as young Quercus coccifera leaves.
It may protect the leaves from attacks by herbivores that may be attracted by green color.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are water-soluble compounds found in the form of glycosides, which are bound to sugars that stabilize the structure and increase solubility.
Their chemical structure contains an aromatic ring that enables E163 Anthocyanins to absorb light, producing bright colors.
The color of E163 Anthocyanins varies depending on the pH: in an acidic environment, E163 Anthocyanins tend to be red; in a neutral environment, they are more purple; and in an alkaline environment, they turn blue.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins appear as a water-soluble powder that changes color based on the pH of the solution.
E163 Anthocyanins are stable at low temperatures but can degrade when exposed to heat and light.
E163 Anthocyanins' ability to produce a wide range of colors makes them ideal for use as natural food colorants in products such as beverages, candies, ice cream, and jams.
PRODUCTION PROCESS of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are extracted from natural sources, primarily from pigment-rich fruits and vegetables, through an aqueous or solvent extraction process.
E163 Anthocyanins are then purified to remove impurities and concentrated for use in the food and cosmetic industries.
BENEFITS of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are a natural part of the human diet and are found in many fruits and vegetables.
Thanks to their strong antioxidant activity, E163 Anthocyanins can neutralize free radicals and protect body cells from oxidative stress.
It is believed that E163 Anthocyanins strengthen capillaries, improve connective tissue condition, help prevent cataracts, and, in general, have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
ADVANTAGES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins offer multiple advantages.
*Natural and consumer-friendly colorant.
*Antioxidant activity (free radical scavenging).
*Potential health benefits (cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory).
*Water solubility for easy incorporation into foods.
*Wide color range depending on pH.
BIOSYNTHESIS of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are assembled like all other flavonoids from two different streams of chemical raw materials in the cell:
One stream involves the shikimate pathway to produce the amino acid phenylalanine, (see phenylpropanoids)
The other stream produces three molecules of malonyl-CoA, a C3 unit from a C2 unit (acetyl-CoA),
These streams meet and are coupled together by the enzyme chalcone synthase, which forms an intermediate chalcone-like compound via a polyketide folding mechanism that is commonly found in plants,
The chalcone is subsequently isomerized by the enzyme chalcone isomerase to the prototype pigment naringenin,
Naringenin is subsequently oxidized by enzymes such as flavanone hydroxylase, flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, and flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase,
These oxidation products are further reduced by the enzyme dihydroflavonol 4-reductase to the corresponding colorless leucoanthocyanidins,
Leucoanthocyanidins once were believed to be the immediate precursors of the next enzyme, a dioxygenase referred to as anthocyanidin synthase, or, leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase.
Flavan-3-ols, the products of leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR), recently have been shown to be their true substrates,
The resulting unstable anthocyanidins are further coupled to sugar molecules by enzymes such as UDP-3-O-glucosyltransferase, to yield the final relatively-stable E163 Anthocyanins.
Thus, more than five enzymes are required to synthesize these pigments, each working in concert.
Even a minor disruption in any of the mechanisms of these enzymes by either genetic or environmental factors, would halt anthocyanin production.
While the biological burden of producing E163 Anthocyanins is relatively high, plants benefit significantly from the environmental adaptation, disease tolerance, and pest tolerance provided by anthocyanins.
In E163 Anthocyanins biosynthetic pathway, L-phenylalanine is converted to naringenin by phenylalanine ammonialyase, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate CoA ligase, chalcone synthase, and chalcone isomerase.
Then, the next pathway is catalyzed, resulting in the formation of complex aglycone and anthocyanin through composition by flavanone 3-hydroxylase, flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, anthocyanidin synthase, UDP-glucoside: flavonoid glucosyltransferase, and methyl transferase.
Genetic analysis
The phenolic metabolic pathways and enzymes may be studied by mean of transgenesis of genes.
The Arabidopsis regulatory gene in the production of anthocyanin pigment 1 (AtPAP1) may be expressed in other plant species
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
**Flavylium cation derivatives
**Glycosides of anthocyanidins
The E163 Anthocyanins, anthocyanidins with sugar group(s), are mostly 3-glucosides of the anthocyanidins.
E163 Anthocyanins are subdivided into the sugar-free anthocyanidin aglycones and the anthocyanin glycosides.
As of 2003, more than 400 E163 Anthocyanins had been reported, while later literature in early 2006, puts the number at more than 550 different anthocyanins.
The difference in chemical structure that occurs in response to changes in pH, is the reason why E163 Anthocyanins often are used as pH indicators, as they change from red in acids to blue in bases through a process called halochromism.
**Stability
E163 Anthocyanins are thought to be subject to physiochemical degradation in vivo and in vitro.
Structure, pH, temperature, light, oxygen, metal ions, intramolecular association, and intermolecular association with other compounds (copigments, sugars, proteins, degradation products, etc.) generally are known to affect the color and stability of E163 Anthocyanins.
B-ring hydroxylation status and pH have been shown to mediate the degradation of E163 Anthocyanins to their phenolic acid and aldehyde constituents.
Indeed, significant portions of ingested E163 Anthocyanins are likely to degrade to phenolic acids and aldehyde in vivo, following consumption.
This characteristic confounds scientific isolation of specific E163 Anthocyanins mechanisms in vivo.
**pH
E163 Anthocyanins generally are degraded at higher pH.
However, some E163 Anthocyanins, such as petanin (petunidin 3-[6-O-(4-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside]-5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside), are resistant to degradation at pH 8 and may be used effectively as a food colorant.
OCCURRENCE of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are found in the cell vacuole, mostly in flowers and fruits, but also in leaves, stems, and roots.
In these parts, E163 Anthocyanins are found predominantly in outer cell layers such as the epidermis and peripheral mesophyll cells.
Most frequently occurring in nature are the glycosides of cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin.
Roughly 2% of all hydrocarbons fixed in photosynthesis are converted into flavonoids and their derivatives, such as the anthocyanins.
Not all land plants contain E163 Anthocyanins; in the Caryophyllales (including cactus, beets, and amaranth), they are replaced by betalains.
E163 Anthocyanins and betalains have never been found in the same plant.
Sometimes bred purposely for high anthocyanin content, ornamental plants such as sweet peppers may have unusual culinary and aesthetic appeal.
E163 ANTHOCYANINS, IN FLOWERS
E163 Anthocyanins occur in the flowers of many plants, such as the blue poppies of some Meconopsis species and cultivars.
E163 Anthocyanins have also been found in various tulip flowers, such as Tulipa gesneriana, Tulipa fosteriana and Tulipa eichleri.
E163 ANTHOCYANINS, IN FOOD
Plants rich in anthocyanins are Vaccinium species, such as blueberry, cranberry, and bilberry; Rubus berries, including black raspberry, red raspberry, and blackberry; blackcurrant, cherry, eggplant (aubergine) peel, black rice, ube, Okinawan sweet potato, Concord grape, muscadine grape, red cabbage, and violet petals. Red-fleshed peaches and apples contain E163 Anthocyanins.
E163 Anthocyanins are less abundant in banana, asparagus, pea, fennel, pear, and potato, and may be totally absent in certain cultivars of green gooseberries.
The highest recorded amount appears to be specifically in the seed coat of black soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) containing approximately 2 g per 100 g, in purple corn kernels and husks, and in the skins and pulp of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.)
Due to critical differences in sample origin, preparation, and extraction methods determining E163 Anthocyanins content, the values presented in the adjoining table are not directly comparable.
Nature, traditional agriculture methods, and plant breeding have produced various uncommon crops containing E163 Anthocyanins, including blue- or red-flesh potatoes and purple or red broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and corn.
Garden tomatoes have been subjected to a breeding program using introgression lines of genetically modified organisms (but not incorporating them in the final purple tomato) to define the genetic basis of purple coloration in wild species that originally were from Chile and the Galapagos Islands.
The variety known as "Indigo Rose" became available commercially to the agricultural industry and home gardeners in 2012.
Investing tomatoes with high anthocyanin content doubles their shelf-life and inhibits growth of a post-harvest mold pathogen, Botrytis cinerea.
Some tomatoes also have been modified genetically with transcription factors from snapdragons to produce high levels of anthocyanins in the fruits.
E163 Anthocyanins also may be found in naturally ripened olives, and are partly responsible for the red and purple colors of some olives.
IN LEAVES OF PLANT FOODS, E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
Content of E163 Anthocyanins in the leaves of colorful plant foods such as purple corn, blueberries, or lingonberries, is about ten times higher than in the edible kernels or fruit.
The color spectrum of grape berry leaves may be analysed to evaluate the amount of E163 Anthocyanins.
Fruit maturity, quality, and harvest time may be evaluated on the basis of the spectrum analysis
AUTUMN LEAF COLOR of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
The reds, purples, and their blended combinations responsible for autumn foliage are derived from E163 Anthocyanins.
Unlike carotenoids, E163 Anthocyanins are not present in the leaf throughout the growing season, but are produced actively, toward the end of summer.
They develop in late summer in the sap of leaf cells, resulting from complex interactions of factors inside and outside the plant.
Their formation depends on the breakdown of sugars in the presence of light as the level of phosphate in the leaf is reduced.
Orange leaves in autumn result from a combination of E163 Anthocyanins and carotenoids.
E163 Anthocyanins are present in approximately 10% of tree species in temperate regions, although in certain areas such as New England, up to 70% of tree species may produce anthocyanins.
COLORANT SAFETY of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
E163 Anthocyanins are approved for use as food colorants in the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, having colorant code E163.
In 2013, a panel of scientific experts for the European Food Safety Authority concluded that E163 Anthocyanins from various fruits and vegetables have been insufficiently characterized by safety and toxicology studies to approve their use as food additives.
Extending from a safe history of using red grape skin extract and blackcurrant extracts to color foods produced in Europe, the panel concluded that these extract sources were exceptions to the ruling and were sufficiently shown to be safe.
E163 Anthocyanins are not specifically listed among approved color additives for foods in the United States; however, grape juice, red grape skin and many fruit and vegetable juices, which are approved for use as colorants, are rich in naturally occurring anthocyanins.
No anthocyanin sources are included among approved colorants for drugs or cosmetics.
When esterified with fatty acids, E163 Anthocyanins can be used as a lipophilic colorant for foods.
IN HUMAN CONSUMPTION of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
Although E163 Anthocyanins have been shown to have antioxidant properties in vitro, there is no evidence for antioxidant effects in humans after consuming foods rich in anthocyanins.
Unlike controlled test-tube conditions, the fate of E163 Anthocyanins in vivo shows they are poorly conserved (less than 5%), with most of what is absorbed existing as chemically modified metabolites that are excreted rapidly.
The increase in antioxidant capacity of blood seen after the consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods may not be caused directly by the E163 Anthocyanins in the food, but instead by increased uric acid levels derived from metabolizing flavonoids (anthocyanin parent compounds) in the food.
It is possible that metabolites of ingested E163 Anthocyanins are reabsorbed in the gastrointestinal tract from where they may enter the blood for systemic distribution and have effects as smaller molecules.
In a 2010 review of scientific evidence concerning the possible health benefits of eating foods claimed to have "antioxidant properties" due to E163 Anthocyanins, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that there was no basis for a beneficial antioxidant effect from dietary E163 Anthocyanins in humans, there was no evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship between the consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods and protection of DNA, proteins, and lipids from oxidative damage, and there was no evidence generally for consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods having any "antioxidant", "anti-cancer", "anti-aging", or "healthy aging" effects.
PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
CAS Number: Not single; e.g. Cyanidin-3-glucoside: 7084-24-4
(Anthocyanins are a group of compounds; values vary depending on specific molecule)
EC Number: 600-081-6 (group entry for anthocyanins)
Molecular Formula: Variable (typical example: C₂₁H₂₁O₁₁⁺ for cyanidin glycosides)
Molecular Weight: Variable (commonly ~400–900 g/mol depending on glycosylation)
Appearance: Red to purple powder or liquid extract
Color: Red, purple, blue (pH-dependent)
Odor: Odorless
Taste: Mild, slightly astringent
Physical State: Solid (powder) or liquid extract
Solubility in Water: Highly soluble
Solubility in Organic Solvents: Soluble in polar solvents; insoluble in non-polar solvents
Molecular Nature: Polyphenolic flavonoid glycosides
Chemical Structure: Flavylium cation core with sugar moieties
Polarity: Polar
Ionic Character: Cationic under acidic conditions
Melting Point: Not defined (decomposes upon heating)
Boiling Point: Not applicable
Thermal Stability: Low to moderate; heat-sensitive
Light Stability: Sensitive; degrades under light
Oxidation Stability: Sensitive to oxygen
pH Sensitivity: Strong; major determinant of color
Reactivity: Reactive toward pH, light, oxygen, and metal ions
Volatility: Non-volatile
Hygroscopicity: Moderate
Color Strength: Moderate; depends on structure and concentration
Color/Shade: Red
Source: Black carrot, red cabbage, grape skin.
Pigment: Anthocyanins
Appearance: Powder and liquid
Solubility: Water soluble
Stability: Heat: Good, Light: Good
FIRST AID MEASURES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
-Description of first-aid measures
*General advice:
Show this material safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
*If inhaled:
After inhalation:
Fresh air.
*In case of skin contact:
Take off immediately all contaminated clothing.
Rinse skin with
water/ shower.
*In case of eye contact:
After eye contact:
Rinse out with plenty of water.
Call in ophthalmologist.
Remove contact lenses.
*If swallowed:
After swallowing:
Immediately make victim drink water (two glasses at most).
Consult a physician.
-Indication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment needed.
No data available
ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
-Environmental precautions:
Do not let product enter drains.
-Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Cover drains.
Collect, bind, and pump off spills.
Observe possible material restrictions.
Take up dry.
Dispose of properly.
Clean up affected area.
FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
-Extinguishing media:
*Suitable extinguishing media:
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Foam
Dry powder
*Unsuitable extinguishing media:
For this substance/mixture no limitations of extinguishing agents are given.
-Further information:
Prevent fire extinguishing water from contaminating surface water or the ground water system.
EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
-Control parameters:
--Ingredients with workplace control parameters:
-Exposure controls:
--Personal protective equipment:
*Eye/face protection:
Use equipment for eye protection.
Safety glasses
*Body Protection:
protective clothing
*Respiratory protection:
Recommended Filter type: Filter A
-Control of environmental exposure:
Do not let product enter drains.
HANDLING and STORAGE of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
-Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
*Storage conditions:
Tightly closed.
Dry.
STABILITY and REACTIVITY of E163 ANTHOCYANINS:
-Chemical stability:
The product is chemically stable under standard ambient conditions (room temperature).
-Possibility of hazardous reactions:
No data available
