Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals

Abstract Fruits, vegetables, and flowers acquire their diverse pink, red, purple, and blue colors from the presence of polyphenol chemicals called anthocyanins. Additionally, anthocyanins are important for plants' ecophysiology, propagation, and defense mechanisms. Sugars and acyl acids alter t...

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Main Authors: Laxmikarthika V. Srinivasan, Sandeep Singh Rana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-07-01
Series:Discover Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-07196-7
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author Laxmikarthika V. Srinivasan
Sandeep Singh Rana
author_facet Laxmikarthika V. Srinivasan
Sandeep Singh Rana
author_sort Laxmikarthika V. Srinivasan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Fruits, vegetables, and flowers acquire their diverse pink, red, purple, and blue colors from the presence of polyphenol chemicals called anthocyanins. Additionally, anthocyanins are important for plants' ecophysiology, propagation, and defense mechanisms. Sugars and acyl acids alter the structural makeup of anthocyanidin, resulting in anthocyanins. Light, pH, metal ions, and temperature can all affect anthocyanidin color. Intra- and intermolecular complexations are among the mechanisms that control anthocyanin stability. Anthocyanins have been extracted, isolated, and identified using various spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. The pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food coloring, flavoring, and preservation sectors are among those that make substantial use of anthocyanins. Research on complementary commodities and natural, sustainable colors is lacking in these areas. The primary cause of this delay is the labile nature of anthocyanins in different formulations. There are opportunities to modify anthocyanin structures in vivo using cutting-edge gene editing and semi-synthetic techniques. This review covers anthocyanins' structural variations, stability, colors, biogenetics, their functions in human health and welfare, and potential future research areas.
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spelling doaj-art-13c1c036c1654eee9daa862fc64d6e192025-08-20T03:03:34ZengSpringerDiscover Applied Sciences3004-92612025-07-017712010.1007/s42452-025-07196-7Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticalsLaxmikarthika V. Srinivasan0Sandeep Singh Rana1Department of Biosciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)Department of Biosciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)Abstract Fruits, vegetables, and flowers acquire their diverse pink, red, purple, and blue colors from the presence of polyphenol chemicals called anthocyanins. Additionally, anthocyanins are important for plants' ecophysiology, propagation, and defense mechanisms. Sugars and acyl acids alter the structural makeup of anthocyanidin, resulting in anthocyanins. Light, pH, metal ions, and temperature can all affect anthocyanidin color. Intra- and intermolecular complexations are among the mechanisms that control anthocyanin stability. Anthocyanins have been extracted, isolated, and identified using various spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. The pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food coloring, flavoring, and preservation sectors are among those that make substantial use of anthocyanins. Research on complementary commodities and natural, sustainable colors is lacking in these areas. The primary cause of this delay is the labile nature of anthocyanins in different formulations. There are opportunities to modify anthocyanin structures in vivo using cutting-edge gene editing and semi-synthetic techniques. This review covers anthocyanins' structural variations, stability, colors, biogenetics, their functions in human health and welfare, and potential future research areas.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-07196-7AnthocyaninBiosynthesisNutraceuticalsFood colorAntioxidant
spellingShingle Laxmikarthika V. Srinivasan
Sandeep Singh Rana
Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
Discover Applied Sciences
Anthocyanin
Biosynthesis
Nutraceuticals
Food color
Antioxidant
title Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
title_full Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
title_fullStr Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
title_full_unstemmed Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
title_short Anthocyanins: a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
title_sort anthocyanins a promising source of natural colorants and nutraceuticals
topic Anthocyanin
Biosynthesis
Nutraceuticals
Food color
Antioxidant
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-07196-7
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AT sandeepsinghrana anthocyaninsapromisingsourceofnaturalcolorantsandnutraceuticals