Anthoxanthins () are a type of flavonoid pigments in plants. Anthoxanthins are water-soluble pigments which range in color from a white or colorless to a creamy to a yellow, often on petals of flowers. These pigments are generally whiter in an acid medium and yellowed in an alkaline medium. They are very susceptible to color changes with minerals and metal ions, similar to anthocyanins. Some examples of anthoxanthins include: apigeniun, luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin.
are also flavonoids, but their backbone is made of flavylium instead of the flavone and flavonol found in anthoxanthins. As a result, they present a blue color instead of the yellow typical of flavonoids (deriving from the Latin word flavus, meaning yellow).Isolation of a UDP-glucose: Flavonoid 5-O-glucosyltransferase gene and expression analysis of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes in herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.). Da Qiu Zhao, Chen Xia Han, Jin Tao Ge and Jun Tao, Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 15 November 2012, Volume 15, Number 6, This modification requires a special set of genes to perform, making anthocyanins rarer than anthoxanthins in nature.
In addition to their use as food additives, anthoxanthins are also used in the production of dyes and pigments. Anthoxanthins can also be used to create yellow, orange, or red dyes for use in textiles, cosmetics, and other products.
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