Anthocyanins
What it does
Red/purple/blue colour.
How it's made
Extracted from grape skins and berries.
Anthocyanins are the natural pigments that give blue, purple and red colours to many fruits, vegetables and flowers — grapes, blackcurrants, red cabbage, elderberries and more. As food colours they provide red-to-purple shades, with the exact colour depending on how acidic the food is.
They are extracted from pigment-rich plant materials such as grape skins, blackcurrants, red cabbage or elderberries using water or acidified water, which dissolves the anthocyanins out of the plant tissue. The extract is filtered and concentrated, sometimes purified further, to give a coloured concentrate or powder.
Because anthocyanins change colour with pH — red in acid, shifting towards blue and purple as conditions become less acidic — they are used mainly in acidic foods like soft drinks, sweets and jams where they give reliable reds and pinks. The extract is standardised for strength, and as a fruit-and-vegetable-derived colour it is valued as a natural option.
Possible reactions
Generally safe.