Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments belonging to the flavonoid group, responsible for the red, purple, and blue hues in many fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, red wine, red cabbage, black rice, and eggplants.
In a culinary context, anthocyanins are valued not only for their color contribution but also for their sensitivity to pH, which causes them to appear red in acidic environments and blue to green in alkaline conditions; this property is sometimes used intentionally in cooking to adjust the color of foods.