Food colors are substances that are added to food to give it a specific color. They can be natural or synthetic, and are used in a wide variety of foods, including candies, baked goods, and beverages. Some food colors, such as those derived from natural sources like fruits and vegetables, are generally considered safe for consumption. However, some synthetic food colors have been linked to health concerns, such as cancer and hyperactivity in children. Additionally, some food colors are not approved for use in certain countries. It’s important to be aware of the food colors that are in the foods we eat and to choose products that use natural or safe synthetic colors whenever possible.
SYNTHETIC FOOD COLORS
Food appeals not just to the tastebuds and to the sense of smell, but also to the eyes. For someone to be attracted to a plate of food, its presentation and the colors in the food play a major role. The riot of colors in nature is also reflected in the colors representing each dish, especially when they are served fresh or with the use of fd&c colors. This visual stimulation is the main reason why food manufacturers add colors to food items during processing. Certified colors by fd&c color suppliers include natural food colors as well as synthetic food colors. Natural food colors are derived from natural sources like fruits, flowers and trees. Synthetic food colors are manufactured by chemical reaction in the laboratory.
WHY USE FOOD COLORS?
The visual appeal of the food is not the only reason why food color manufacturers use colorants in food.
- Food that is dull and colorless gives a feeling of being dry and inferior in quality. People may hesitate to buy the food and may look for better alternatives.
- When food is stored for longer periods, their natural colors tend to fade when exposed to sunlight. The vitamins and flavors in the food get impacted because of this.
- The natural color of food is enhanced and made to look more appetising.
WHY USE SYNTHETIC FOOD COLORS?
One may ask that when the world is moving towards organic, what is the significance of synthetic food colors? However, natural food colors are more difficult to source because of the elaborate procedures to be followed in their processing. This also makes them very expensive, especially when used in large scale food manufacturing. Another important reason for using synthetic food colors is that their colors are much brighter and more vibrant than natural food colors. The food colors can provide intense color that can be uniformly applied in large scale food manufacturing. Synthetic food colors are also easier to blend into various hues.
ARE SYNTHETIC FOOD COLORS SAFE TO USE?
All synthetic colors may not be safe for use in food manufacturing. It is important to check the ingredient list and ensure that the artificial food colors used in the product are certified to be fd&c colors. Regulatory bodies across the world keep a constant vigil on colors used in food – whether they are natural or synthetic – since they are directly ingested and may cause health issues in case they are not safe. Certain food colors are certified as safe for use as food colors once they meet the regulatory standards set by the certification bodies. Certain food colors may meet regulatory standards in some countries but not in others. This is applicable to both natural food colors and synthetic food colors. Some of the common synthetic food colors that are used in food manufacturing include tartrazine, sunset yellow, amaranth, fast green FCF, erythrosine, allura red, quinoline yellow, brilliant blue and indigo carmine. Certain colors like citrus red 2 are used for specific purposes only – in this case, to color the peel of oranges.
