Allervibe
E163
Anthocyanins
Water-soluble red, purple and blue plant pigments used as a food colour.
i Additive Details
| Is E163 Anthocyanins safe?
Anthocyanins are ordinary components of berries, red cabbage and grapes and are generally well tolerated. The most common commercial source is grape skin extract (also called enocyanin), a by-product of winemaking, which matters to anyone avoiding grape- or wine-derived ingredients; the label rarely names the source, so asking the manufacturer is the only way to be sure. Sulphur dioxide can be used in the processing of grape skin extract, so people with marked sulphite sensitivity may prefer products coloured from other sources.
| Uses
Colours soft drinks, fruit preparations, jams, confectionery, yoghurt, ice cream and dairy desserts. The shade depends on acidity: red in acidic products, shifting to purple and blue as the pH rises, and unstable in alkaline conditions, so anthocyanins are used mainly in acidic foods and drinks.
| Interactions
Colour and stability depend strongly on pH, and the pigments are degraded by heat, light and by ascorbic acid in solution. Sulphur dioxide bleaches anthocyanins, so they are a poor match for heavily sulphited products.
| Origin
Extracted with water, acidified water or alcohol from edible fruit and vegetables — most often grape skins, but also blackcurrant, elderberry, aronia, black carrot, red cabbage and hibiscus.
| Daily Intake
No numerical ADI has been established for anthocyanins as a group in the EU. Intake from food additives is small compared with the amounts eaten in ordinary fruit and vegetables.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E170 Calcium carbonate A white mineral used as a colour, acidity regulator, anti-caking agent and calcium source in food.
- E100 Curcumin The yellow pigment extracted from turmeric root, used to colour food.
- E101 Riboflavin Vitamin B2, a yellow-orange vitamin that is also used as a food colour.
- E162 Beetroot red A red-violet pigment (betanin) obtained from red beetroot.
- E141 Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins A green colour made by replacing the magnesium at the centre of plant chlorophyll with copper.
- E150a Plain caramel The Class I caramel colour, made by heating sugars without ammonia or sulphite reagents.
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