Recent Advances in Sustainable Anthocyanin Applications in Food Preservation and Monitoring: A Review

Anthocyanins, a group of naturally occurring flavonoid compounds, have garnered increasing attention due to their wide-ranging biological activities that suggest their considerable potential to be utilized not only as natural food colorants but also as functional additives that can enhance food preservation and contribute to the development of health-promoting functional foods. Additionally, their sensitivity to environmental factors such as pH and temperature makes anthocyanins promising candidates for use in intelligent packaging systems, particularly as natural indicators for monitoring food freshness and quality throughout storage and distribution. Despite challenges related to their stability and regulatory acceptance, continued research into anthocyanins remains crucial for advancing sustainable, clean-label food technologies and reducing reliance on synthetic additives. To fully leverage their economic and health potential, it is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various plant sources of anthocyanins, their chemical composition, extraction methods, and roles in different applications. Moreover, integrating anthocyanins into food and intelligent packaging systems presents various technical and regulatory challenges that are also summarized in this review.