Anthoxanthin

Anthoxanthins are pale yellow or colorless, water-soluble flavonoid pigments in plants, including flavones and flavonols. Their appearance can vary with pH and metal-ion binding.

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Flavonoid: A class of plant polyphenols built around a fifteen-carbon skeleton arranged in two aromatic rings and a central heterocycle. Anthoxanthins are a subgroup of flavonoids.
Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy: A method that measures how a substance absorbs ultraviolet and visible light. Absorption spectra reveal why anthoxanthins appear pale yellow or colorless.
Cauliflower: A cultivated form of Brassica oleracea grown for its compact, undeveloped flower head. Its white curds contain little visible pigment, while anthoxanthins are among the flavonoids present.
Anthocyanin: A class of water-soluble plant pigments that commonly produces red, purple, or blue colors. Anthocyanins usually produce stronger visible colors than the pale or colorless anthoxanthins.
Flavone: A flavonoid subclass characterized by a double bond between positions 2 and 3 and a ketone at position 4. Flavones are one of the two principal compound groups included among anthoxanthins.
pH: A measure of the hydrogen-ion activity of a solution. Changes in acidity can alter anthoxanthin structure and visible color.
White potato: A pale-fleshed tuber of the cultivated potato plant, Solanum tuberosum. Anthoxanthins contribute to the flavonoid composition of some potato tissues.
Carotenoid: A family of lipid-soluble pigments that produces yellow, orange, and red colors in plants and other organisms. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments, unlike water-soluble anthoxanthins.
Flavonol: A flavonoid subclass with a hydroxyl group at position 3 and a ketone at position 4. Flavonols are the other principal compound group included among anthoxanthins.
Metal complex: A chemical structure in which a metal ion is bound to surrounding molecules or ions. Binding certain metal ions can shift anthoxanthin color and stability.