Can anthocyanins replace antibiotics in food and animal feed? A review

Background: Anthocyanins, a class of food phenolics, are widely distributed in fruits, vegetables and grains. Numerous studies have shown that they play multiple functions, including antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as improving intestinal health. With the prohibition of antibiotics in various countries, the development of alternatives to antibiotics is urgently needed. It has been demonstrated that anthocyanins have great potential as antibiotic substitutes, but their use is limited due to their unstable structure and low bioavailability.Scope and approach: This contribution summarizes the antibiotic resistance and the anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, absorption, metabolism, antibacterial, and possible mechanism and feasibility of anthocyanins as alternatives to antibiotics. In addition, some applications of anthocyanins in clinic, food and feed are provided. Key findings and conclusions: The comprehensive effect of anthocyanins is the key to promoting growth and health, including gut microbiota, gut physiology and immunology. Encapsulation strategy to improve the stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins and targeting them to the lower digestive tract, where most foodborne pathogens reside. The application of encapsulation is expected to be a big step towards replacing antibiotics with anthocyanins, but this requires more in vivo studies.