Acylated anthocyanins as stable, natural food colorants - a review.

There is a demand for food colorants from natural sources that can serve as alternatives to the use of synthetic dyes due to the consumer concerns over the use of synthetic additives. Documented health benefits of anthocyanin extracts intensified the interest in anthocyanin-rich food. Anthocyanins, between other benefits, are potent antioxidants and may be useful to cure noninsulin-dcpendcnt diabetes. The finding that anthocyanin pigments containing acyl subslitucnt arc incredibly stable opens new opportunities for food producers. The stable acylated anthocyanins are present in large amounts in vegetables such as: red cabbage, black carrot, red radish, red potatoes or red corn. These pigments indicate a low sensibility to pH changes and an increased heat and light stability. For this reason, acylated anthocyanins are suitable to be applied not only for food with low pH but also for neutral and slightly alkaline products (dairy products, powdered and ready-to-eat desserts).