Anthocyanins as Food Colors

Book excerpt: Anthocyanins as Food Colors aims to assemble scattered information on anthocyanins pertinent to food coloration. Both basic and applied aspects of these pigments are discussed. Organized into nine chapters, this book begins with a discussion of the chemical structure of anthocyanins, followed by its copigmentation and biosynthesis. It then discusses the distribution of anthocyanin in food plants, as well as the compounds' stability in food. This work also looks into the analysis of anthocyanins and their presence in grapes and wine. Utilization of anthocyanins as food additives is addressed in the last chapter. This book will provide additional information in order to maximize the visual appeal of these pigments both in products in which they are naturally present and in products to which they may be added as colorants.