Anthocyanins (E163)

Anthocyanins (E163) is one of the markers Open Food Facts uses to classify a food as ultra-processed (NOVA group 4).

What it is and why it counts

Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.

Cosmetic additives

NOVA calls these additives "cosmetic": they change how a product looks, feels or tastes rather than keeping it safe to eat. Their presence is one of the two defining signs of an ultra-processed food.

Function

Colour: Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.

Functional class definitions from the EU food additives regulation, via Open Food Facts.

More about anthocyanins (E163) on Wikidata

Where it turns up

Anthocyanins (E163) appears in 258 of the 40,000 products on this site (1%).

Candies 34 of 486 products
Cakes 15 of 377 products
Gummi candies 12 of 119 products
Biscuits 10 of 1,514 products
Energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners 9 of 60 products
Artificially sweetened beverages 8 of 525 products

Products containing anthocyanins (E163)

Showing the 60 most popular of 258.

How the NOVA classification works