Malvidin
A perfectly safe, naturally occurring grape pigment.
- Category
- Colours
- Vegan
- Yes
- Vegetarian
- Yes
What it is
A natural purple anthocyanin pigment primarily responsible for the color of red wine.
How it is used in food
Malvidin is the dominant pigment of red grapes and therefore of red wine, and it is the most chemically stable anthocyanidin because both of its outer hydroxyl groups are methylated. That stability makes grape-skin and grape-marc extracts the most practical anthocyanin colours for drinks and confectionery, holding a red-purple hue far longer than berry extracts.
Commonly found in- Wines
- Juices
- Natural dyes
Health and safety
Safe and naturally consumed globally in fruit and wine.
Assessed within EFSA's 2013 re-evaluation of anthocyanins with no safety concern identified. Malvidin is a routine marker in studies of moderate red-wine consumption and vascular function, but disentangling its effects from those of alcohol and resveratrol has not been achieved, and intake from grapes and wine dwarfs intake from added colour.
Regulatory status
| Region | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia & New Zealand FSANZ |
Permitted | Permitted under the FSANZ Food Standards Code. |
| European Union EFSA / European Commission |
Not approved | Not on the EU authorised list of food additives (Annex II). |
| United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) |
Permitted | Authorised for food use by the FDA (often GRAS for standard additives). |
Identification on labels
- E-number
- E163c
Worth knowing
Its principal form, malvidin-3-glucoside, is known to wine chemists as oenin. Over months in barrel it reacts with tannins and acetaldehyde to form polymeric pigments, which is why an aged red shifts from purple-red to brick — the free malvidin has largely been consumed by those reactions.
Conclusion
A perfectly safe, naturally occurring grape pigment.
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Open the appEntry last reviewed 2026-07-28.
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