The anthocyanin's role on the food metabolic pathways, color and drying processes: An experimental and theoretical approach

This review is intended to cover the works related to the anthocyanin behavior in food that is subjected to drying. Both experimental and theoretical results available in scientific literature are discussed. An increase in anthocyanin concentration has been observed upon thermal processing. Nevertheless, a conclusive explanation is still unavailable. The accessible studies suggest an increase in concentration during maturations, which could be related to the enzymatic activity. The possible enzymes involved in such a procedure have also been covered, including their role played in the process. The possible activation mechanisms and the related factors such as temperature, pH, oxygen contents and the presence of UV-light irradiation were also considered. Moreover, the metabolic pathways were also explored including experimental evaluation and theoretical models based on atomistic methodologies such as density functional theory (DFT). This review is aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the probable mechanisms behind the increase of anthocyanin concentration during drying.