Flavylium

Flavylium (CAS 14051-53-7), also referenced as the flavylium cation in colorant chemistry, is the core structural scaffold underlying anthocyanin-based natural pigments.

Where is Flavylium used?

• Food and nutrition: functional basis for anthocyanin colorants
• Beverages, confectionery and dairy products: natural hue stability
• Printing and packaging: pH-sensitive color-switching behaviour for smart inks and indicator labels that signal freshness or environmental changes
• Reference compound and synthetic intermediate for pH-responsive colorants and natural dye analogs
• Analytical reference standard for anthocyanin quantification and colorant authentication
• Formulators use flavylium derivatives as benchmarks when screening synthetic or semi-synthetic colorant candidates.

Good to know: Food-grade supply is not a recognized commercial format for this compound.

Commercial specifications

• Solid salt form, most commonly perchlorate or chloride salt
• Research and specialty chemical quantities
• Laboratory and development scale rather than bulk commodity volumes