Secrets behind Food Colorants

ingredients

Dec 26

During the holiday season, food coloring is a popular addition to pastries for a pop of color. However, have you ever wondered what was inside the food colorant?

History of food colorants

According to the Food and Drug Administration, “A color additive, as defined by regulation, is any dye, pigment, or other substance that can impart color to a food, drug, or cosmetic or to the human body.”

Humans have been coloring their food for centuries. Ancient cultures used vegetables and minerals to color their products. Saffron is mentioned in the Iliad as a food colorant and wine has been colored as far back as 300 BC.

What are the different types of food colorants?

Colors are divided into two categories: synthetic colors created in a lab and natural colors derived from nature.

Synthetic

Synthetic colorants are those produced in a lab from purified petrochemicals. There are currently seven colors approved for general use in human food in the United States and two more approved for use in specific applications.

FD&C Blue No. 1- Sky Blue
FD&C Blue No. 2- Royal Blue
FD&C Green No. 3- Teal Green
FD&C Red No. 3- Hot Pink
FD&C Red No. 40 – Orange-red
FD&C Yellow No. 5 – Lemon-yellow
FD&C Yellow No. 6 – Orange
Orange B: Only approved for use in hot dog and sausage casings
Citrus Red No. 2: Only approved for use to color orange peels

Synthetic colors are available in the form of dyes or lakes. Dyes are simply straight colors that dissolve in water and absorb light as a form of color. Lakes are insoluble in food.

Natural

Natural colorants are derived from fruits, vegetables, flowers, insects, or minerals.

Here are some common approved natural colors:

Saffron: yellow-orange spice
Cochineal: red from insects
Spriulina: blue-green from phycocyanins in algae

Natural color sources come with many challenges. These pigments are often to be less vibrant than consumers are used to. Colors may also fade during storage.

Are food colorants safe?

The FDA is responsible for ensuring food ingredients such as colorants are safe in the United States. In 1906, the Food and Drug Act was introduced to prohibit the use of poisonous ingredients in foods. In 1938, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act required manufacturers to certify all colors before supplying.

To determine if a color additive is safe, the FDA assess the effects of consumption, the chemical composition of the ingredient, levels of exposure, and the availability of methods to test for purity and amount in foods.

The FDA has reviewed scientific data and concluded that food colorants are safe for children and adults when used in accordance with regulations.

However, they do recognize some children may be sensitive to synthetic colorants, specifically Yellow No. 5. This additive may cause itching or hives. In 1950, the approved color FD&C Orange No. 1 was found to cause illness in children that had eaten Halloween candy with the additive.

A 2016 review by the European Food Safety Authority did not find evidence of any link between food dyes and cancer or ADHD in children, which was a common controversy at the time.

Overall, companies are moving away from synthetic colors in response to consumer demand and evolving science and it is important to check labels for chemicals not certified by FDA.