Grape Skin Extract

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Grape skin extract (E163ii) is a natural red-to-purple food colourant obtained by aqueous extraction of the skins of Vitis vinifera grapes, rich in anthocyanin pigments such as malvidin, cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, and peonidin glucosides. It is used to impart red, purple, or blue hues to foods including jams, beverages, confectioneries, and breakfast cereals.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

EFSA's ANS Panel (2013) found the toxicological database insufficient to establish a numerical ADI, but concluded that exposures from aqueous grape skin extract at current use levels are unlikely to be of safety concern. JECFA/WHO established an ADI of 0–2.5 mg/kg body weight for anthocyanins from grape skin. Anthocyanins are considered low-to-no toxicity natural pigments; no IARC classification applies.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Authorised as food colour under Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011. Maximum permitted level of 200 mg/kg in fruit-flavoured breakfast cereals; quantum satis in all other permitted food categories. Specifications laid down in Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. EFSA re-evaluation (2013) did not establish a numerical ADI but concluded current exposure from aqueous grape skin extract is unlikely to be of safety concern.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Also listed under 21 CFR Part 73 (color additives exempt from certification) for beverage use. Grape skin extract as a flavouring may also have FEMA GRAS standing.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Individuals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to grapes or grape-derived products should exercise caution, as grape skin extract retains grape proteins that could theoretically trigger allergic reactions in sensitised individuals.

Ibs — High-polyphenol plant extracts including anthocyanins may exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals with irritable bowel syndrome, particularly at elevated supplement-level intakes.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Anthocyanins as Key Phytochemicals Acting for the Prevention of Metabolic Diseases: An Overview, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Consumer exposures to anthocyanins from colour additives, colouring foodstuffs and from natural occurrence in foods, 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4EFSA. Re-evaluation of anthocyanins (E 163) as a food additive, 2013. efsa.europa.eu
5WHO. JECFA Monograph: Grape Skin Extract – FAO/WHO Food Additives Database, 1984. apps.who.int

Independently researched5 citations