Comparing E163 - Anthocyanins vs E160D - Lycopene

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Overview

E163 - Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins (E163) are natural pigments that make many fruits and vegetables look red, purple, or blue. As a food additive, they are used mainly to give or boost color, especially in drinks, sweets, and dairy-style products. They are extracted from edible plants such as grape skins, berries, purple corn, and red cabbage.

E160D - Lycopene

Lycopene (E160d) is a red pigment found naturally in tomatoes and other red fruits. In foods, it is used as a colour additive to give shades ranging from pink to deep red, especially where a “tomato-like” hue is desired. It can come from tomatoes, fermentation, or be made synthetically, but it works the same in coloring foods.

Synonyms

E163

Anthocyanins

Anthocyanin

E160d

Lycopene

Functions

colour

Origins

Plant

Microbiological

Synthetic

Products

Found in 260 products

Found in 206 products

Search rank & volume

#11814K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

#8727K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

×7.71

over-aware

×18.73

over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions

Is anthocyanin always present in leaves?
No—anthocyanins vary by species and conditions; many green leaves have little to none until they’re young, senescing (autumn), or under stress such as high light, cold, or nutrient limitation.
How much anthocyanin per day?
There’s no recommended daily intake or established ADI; typical diets supply roughly a few tens to a few hundred milligrams per day from fruits and vegetables, and intake at normal food levels is considered safe.
What colors come from anthocyanins?
They give red, pink, purple, and blue hues, shifting with pH—more red in acidic conditions and more blue/purple as pH rises.
How to extract anthocyanin from plants?
Crush colored plant material and soak it in acidified water or food-grade ethanol (e.g., 50–70% ethanol or water with a little lemon juice), then filter; keep the extract cool, protected from light, and away from high pH to limit degradation.
What are anthocyanins good for?
As E163, they’re used to color foods and drinks in red-to-blue shades; while they show antioxidant activity in vitro, human health benefits remain limited and inconclusive.