A member of a family of pigments (carotenoids and chlorophyll are the other members) that is responsible for the coloration of flowers and fruits. Anthocyanins create the blue, red and purple hues in plants such as apples, berries, eggplant, radishes, red cabbage, and red grapes. This plant pigment is easily altered and changed as it is cooked and it is readily water soluble, unlike carotenoids and chlorophyll.