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Food coloring

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A food coloring or colouring is any substance that is added to food to change its color.

1 Purpose of food coloring
2 Regulation
3 Natural food dyes
4 Health problems
5 Dyes and lakes
6 Other uses
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Purpose of food coloring

People associate certain colors with certain flavors. Because of this, the color of food can influence the perceived flavor, in anything from candy to wine <ref>Jeannine Delwiche (2004). "The impact of perceptual interactions on perceived flavor". Food Quality and Preference 15: 137–146.</ref> For this reason, food manufacturers add dyes to their products. Sometimes the aim is to simulate a color that is perceived by the consumer as natural, such as adding red coloring to glacé cherries (which would otherwise be beige), but sometimes it is for effect, like the green ketchup that Heinz launched in 2000.

While most consumers are aware that foods with bright or unnatural colors (such as the green ketchup mentioned above or children's cereals such as Froot Loops) likely contain food coloring, few people know that apparently "natural" foods such as oranges are sometimes also dyed to mask natural variations in color.<ref name="fdacf">FDA/CFSAN Food Color Facts. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on 2006-09-07.</ref> Color variation in foods throughout season and the effects of processing and storage often make color addition commercially advantageous to maintain the color expected or preferred by the consumer. Some of the primary reasons include:

Offsetting color loss due to light, air, extremes of temperature, moisture, and storage conditions.
Masking natural variations in color.
Enhancing naturally occurring colors.
Providing identity to foods.
Protecting flavors and vitamins from damage by light.
Decorating purposes such as cake icing

[edit] Regulation

Food colorings are tested for safety by various bodies around the world. In the United States, FD&C (standing for the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) numbers are given to approved dyes, while in the European Union, E numbers are used. The FDA receives compensation for every pound of food dye it certifies (not inspects), which many see as a conflict of interest in regard to the safety of these dyes.^{[citation needed]}

The American food industry uses 3000 tons of food color per year.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Natural food dyes

Caramel coloring is found in Coca-Cola and other cola products. It is made from caramelized sugar. Annatto is a reddish-orange dye made from the seed of a tropical tree. Chlorella is green, and derived from algae. Cochineal is a red dye derived from cochineal insects. Beet juice, turmeric, saffron and paprika are also used as colorants.

[edit] Health problems

Although regulatory authorities like the FDA in the United States have banned many products from use in food due to safety concerns, debate still rages over the safety of those artificial colorings that are still permitted. In the USA, for example, only the following seven artificial colorings are permitted in food (the most common in bold):

FD&C Blue No.1 - Brilliant Blue FCF (Blue shade)
FD&C Blue No.2 - Indigotine (Dark Blue shade)
FD&C Green No.3 - Fast Green FCF (Bluish green shade)
FD&C Red No.40 - Allura Red AC (Red shade)
FD&C Red No.3 - Erythrosine (Pink shade)
FD&C Yellow No.5 - Tartrazine (Yellow shade)
FD&C Yellow No.6 - Sunset Yellow FCF (Orange shade)

Tartrazine is a coal-tar derivative, and causes hives in less than 0.01% of those exposed to it <ref name="fdacf"/>. Two to twenty percent of asthmatics are sensitive to aspirin, and of these, less than 2.4% are also sensitive to tartrazine.^{[citation needed]} Erythrosine is linked to thyroid tumors in rats.^[3] Some artificial food colorings are suspected to cause reactions ranging from hyperactivity to depression to asthma-like symptoms in sensitive individuals.^{[citation needed]}Norway has banned all products containing coal tar and coal tar derivatives. As such, many FD&C approved colorings have been banned.

[edit] Dyes and lakes

In the United States, certifiable color additives are available for use in food as either "dyes" or "lakes".

Dyes dissolve in water, but are not soluble in oil. Dyes are manufactured as powders, granules, liquids or other special purpose forms. They can be used in beverages, dry mixes, baked goods, confections, dairy products, pet foods and a variety of other products.

Lakes are the combination of dyes and insoluble material. Lakes tint by dispersion. Lakes are not oil soluble, but are oil dispersible. Lakes are more stable than dyes and are ideal for coloring products containing fats and oils or items lacking sufficient moisture to dissolve dyes. Typical uses include coated tablets, cake and donut mixes, hard candies and chewing gums.

[edit] Other uses

Because they are generally safer to use than normal artistic dyes and pigments, some artists have used food coloring as a means of making pictures, especially in forms such as bodypainting. Food coloring can also serve as a temporary fabric dye.