ABSTRACT
The anthocyanins, named after the Greek words anthos, ‘ower, and kyanos, blue, constitute a major ‘avonoid group, widespread in plants and foods made from them. They are responsible for the pigmentation of numerous plant organs, play a role in plants as visual attracters for pollinators and seed disseminators, and may be involved in protection against biotic and nonbiotic stress. Anthocyanins contribute to the color of foods and beverages, an essential component in quality assessment, determination of consumer liking, and eventually food choice. In addition to giving visual clues for freshness and ripeness of fruits and vegetables, color in‘uences taste thresholds and interferes with ‘avor identi‚cation and perception of its intensity (Clydesdale, 1993). Anthocyanins are widely used as natural food colorants (Francis, 1989; Mateus and de Freitas, 2009). The most traditional source is grape pomace, a by-product of the wine industry, but other extracts showing better stability toward heat, light, or pH variations can
18.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 379 18.2 Structures and Properties of Anthocyanins ................................................................................. 380
18.2.1 Structural Diversity of Plant Anthocyanins .................................................................... 380 18.2.2 Anthocyanin Biosynthesis ................................................................................................381 18.2.3 Anthocyanins in Plant-Based Foods ................................................................................381
