E163 – Anthocyanins
ColouringDescription
Water-soluble vacuolar pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue depending on pH; extracted from fruits, vegetables, and flowers
Notes
Anthocyanins are natural pigments that give many fruits, vegetables, and flowers their vibrant red, purple, and blue colours. These water-soluble compounds are extracted from sources like blueberries, blackcurrants, red cabbage, grapes, and elderberries. The extraction process typically involves crushing the plant material and using water or mild alcohol solutions to draw out these colourful molecules, which are then concentrated and purified for use in food. As food colourings, anthocyanins add beautiful natural hues ranging from bright red to deep purple and blue to various products. You'll commonly find them in fruit juices, yogurts, ice creams, candies, baked goods, and beverages where manufacturers want to achieve appealing colours without using synthetic dyes. They're particularly popular in products marketed as 'natural' or where the colour needs to match the fruit flavours being used. Anthocyanins are completely natural and suitable for all dietary requirements, including vegan, vegetarian, halal, and kosher diets. They're generally considered very safe and are actually celebrated for their potential antioxidant properties. However, these natural colours can be sensitive to pH changes and light, sometimes causing colour variations in the final product, and they may not be as stable as synthetic alternatives in certain food processing conditions.