Factors affecting the stability of anthocyanins and strategies for improving their stability: A review
Hongkun Xue, Jianduo Zhao, Yu Wang, Zhangmeng Shi, Kaifang Xie, Xiaojun Liao, Jiaqi Tan
Abstract
Anthocyanins, as the most common and widely distributed flavonoid compounds, are widely present in fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins show various biological activities including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory activities. Hence, anthocyanins are widely used in the fields of food and pharmaceuticals. However, anthocyanins are susceptible to environmental and processing factors due to their structural characteristics, which leads to poor storage and processing stability. Numerous studies have indicated that structural modification, co-pigmentation, and delivery systems could improve the stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins in the external environment. This article reviews the main factors affecting the stability of anthocyanins. Moreover, this review comprehensively introduces methods to improve the stability of anthocyanins. Finally, the current problems and future research advances of anthocyanins are also introduced. The findings can provide important references for deeper research on the stability, biological activities, and bioavailability of anthocyanins. • Source and structural characteristics of anthocyanins were summarized. • pH, temperature, light, antioxidant, metal ion affect the stability of anthocyanins. • Strategies for improving the stability of anthocyanins were introduced.