Food Coloring: Natural and Artificial Dyes

Posted on May 4, 2024 in Biology

COLORANTES

Why are they used?

  • To provide consistent color to food.
  • To replace color lost during processing.
  • To color foods that are naturally colorless (e.g., candy, imitation shellfish).
  • To improve the appearance of food.

NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL DYES

Beet Red (E162)

  • Structure: Betaine.
  • Collection: Aqueous extraction of red beets.
  • Properties: Heat sensitive, turns brownish when heated.
  • Uses: Soft drinks, jams, canned vegetables and fish, yogurts, and fresh cheese.
  • Metabolism: Poorly absorbed through the digestive system; absorbed portion is excreted in urine.
  • Safety: Safe.

Anthocyanins

  • Structure: From the skins of grapes.
  • Properties: Soluble in aqueous media, stable in acidic medium, degraded by heat, sulfites, and ascorbic acid.
  • Uses: Dairy products, ice cream, candy, confectionery, canned vegetables, canned fish, meat, liquor, soft drinks, and soups.
  • Metabolism: Partially destroyed by intestinal flora; absorbed portion is excreted in urine and bile.
  • Safety: Safe.

AZO DYES

Tartrazine (E102)

  • Properties: Very soluble in water.
  • Uses: Baked goods, biscuits, meat products, soups, canned vegetables, ice cream, candy, and soft drinks (lemon flavor).
  • Toxicology: Adverse reactions in people allergic to aspirin; otherwise innocuous.

Sunset Yellow FCF (E110)

  • Properties: Very soluble in water.
  • Uses: Orange and lemon sodas, ice cream, sweets, appetizers, and desserts.
  • Toxicology: Allergies and behavior disorders.

Amaranth (E123)

  • Properties: Very soluble in water.
  • Regulations: Prohibited in the USA; permitted in the EU for wine, flavored drinks, alcoholic beverages (less than 15% alcohol), and fish eggs.
  • Safety: Carcinogenicity is debated.

Cochineal Red A (E124)

  • Permitted Uses: Breakfast sausages (minimum 6% cereal content) and burger meat (minimum 4% cereal content or vegetables).
  • Safety: Suspected of containing an impurity that is metabolized to a mutagenic compound.

Allura Red AC (E129)

  • Properties: Very soluble in water.
  • Uses: Confectionery, fillings, pastries, gelatins, dairy products, fruit-flavored drugs, and cosmetics.
  • Safety: Causes fewer allergies than other azo dyes in susceptible individuals.

Brilliant Black BN (E151)

  • Uses: Caviar substitutes.
  • Regulations: Not permitted in Nordic countries, USA, Canada, and Japan.

Brown FK (E154)

  • Properties: Heat resistant.
  • Uses: Curing and smoking fish.

Brown HT (E155)

  • Uses: Substitute for chocolate and caramel color in cookies, cakes, etc.
  • Safety: Allergic reactions in asthmatics and sensitive individuals.

Lithol Rubine BK (E180)

  • Uses: Reddening the crust of cheese.

Quinoline Yellow (E104)

  • Uses: Orange-colored soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, bakery products, preserved vegetables, meat products, and ice cream.
  • Regulations: Not permitted as a food additive in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and other countries.

Erythrosine (E127)

  • Properties: Highly water-soluble.
  • Regulations: In the EU, only authorized for cherries in syrup.
  • Safety: High iodine content may affect the thyroid.

Indigotine or Indigo Carmine (E132)

  • Uses: Beverages, candy, confectionery, and ice cream.

TRIPHENYLMETHANE DYES

Patent Blue V (E131)

  • Properties: Very soluble in water.
  • Uses: Green color in food; used in jams, preserved vegetables, pastries, candy, and drinks.
  • Safety: May cause allergies in rare cases; less than 10% is absorbed and quickly eliminated via bile.

Brilliant Blue FCF (E133)

  • Uses: Sometimes mixed with tartrazine to get green tones (e.g., canned peas).

Green S (E142)

  • Properties: Very soluble in water.
  • Regulations: Not approved for coloring peas and other vegetables in Europe; used in soft drinks, confectionery, chewing gum, and candy.
  • Safety: Lack of conclusive data about possible toxicity; not allowed in Nordic countries, Japan, U.S., and Canada.

SURFACE DYES (INORGANIC)

  • Examples: Calcium carbonate (E170), Titanium dioxide (E171), Iron oxides and hydroxides (E172), Aluminum (E173), Silver (E174), Gold (E175).
  • Uses: Coating tablets, confectionery, gum, and pastry decorations.
  • Safety: Safe in small amounts.