Food coloring

Food dyes are food additives which serve to make food look better and to meet the color requirements of consumers. They also serve to compensate for losses due to processing color, and can therefore possibly a better quality fake.

Few dyes are vegetable origin ( eg betanin or chlorophyll ), usual synthetic replicas of naturally occurring substances ( natural substances ) or completely synthetic compounds. The latter had by all food additives the worst reputation.

Food dyes are also dyes that naturally found in foods, such as fruits and vegetables, occur. These include leaf green coloring ( chlorophyll ), carotenoids, berry colors ( anthocyanins ), Praying dyes ( betanin ) and colors of spices like pepper, saffron and turmeric ( curcumin ).

• 7.1 color spectrum

History

End of the 19th century, many synthetic dyes were discovered. They found in the dyeing industry a great success, as it could stain effective and less noticeable with them than with the older natural dyes. A representative of the group of azo dyes. Only manufactured tar-based, from 1882 then petroleum based, was and is one of the most harmful to human health dye groups that are out there. Since there were around 1875 no laws that forbade the dyeing of food with toxic substances and it is was not yet aware of the toxicity of some dyes with substances such as mercury sulfide ( cheese), lead oxide ( confectionery ) or fuchsin was (wine ) colored, which can cause people considerable damage.

It was not until 1887 forbade the first food law the use of heavy metal-containing food additives. However, this law did not consider the synthetic dyes ( azo dyes ) and was also no maximum permitted levels of additives in food products to.

Over the years, synthetic colorants were always less admitted. 1970 by 80 formerly of hazardous dyes were only seven approved. Early as 1914, chemists, physicians, hygienists and pharmacists have assembled and debated a " declaration " obligation but not prevailed. Only in 1993 the Food Act became the European reasonably aligned. There are still some differences, in which countries which additives may be used. The reason for this is that still not all the side effects or long-term damage researched by additives.

Identification

There are about 40 approved food dyes with which food may be colored. From E 100 ( curcumin ) to E 180 ( Litholrubin BK) they close the color palette almost completely (see below the section # color spectrum). Even some metals are among the food colors.

To be distinguished from the dyes are coloring foods. Unlike the dyes whose exact composition is prescribed by law and which are safety rated by governmental agencies regarding their health effects on the human body, are increasingly extracts of foods used, which have a coloring action. Examples are, for instance Spinach extract (green noodles, pistachio ), beetroot extract, curcumin extract etc..

If a food dye is used to color foods, this is considered an additive and must under EU law are specified in the list of ingredients either by name or with its E-number. The class name " dye" is preceded by. However, do not fall each dye labeling requirement. If the dye, for example, fed directly to the food, it must be declared as an additive. Dyes, which are contained in compound ingredients and have no technological function in the final food (ie the final food not dye ) must not be specified as a food dye in the ingredients list.

As of July 20, 2010 Food with certain dyes must " Can affect the activity and attention in children. " Bear the warning on the package. This applies to the addition of quinoline yellow ( E 104 ) for the following azo dyes:

• Tartrazine (E 102)
• Yellow FCF ( E 110 )
• Azorubine ( E 122 )
• Cochineal Red A (E 124)
• Allura Red AC ( E129 )

In the so-called Southampton study ( McCann et al. 2007), no clear evidence was found for the assumed connection between the taking up of the dyes and the behavior of children. Therefore not the permitted daily dose for the dye to be changed; but nevertheless, the European Parliament writes the warning before as a precaution. The Consumer Hesse even calls for a ban of azo dyes.

Use

Food dyes are mainly used for the coloring of foodstuffs. Foods are nachgefärbt for various reasons. For example, if a food loses its preparation to color and therefore more attractive, it can be re-dyed. In the preparation of the gelatin gummy bears is nachgefärbt because it looks otherwise unsightly gray. To appeal to the customer, the gummy bears be dyed so that they meet their flavor, such as red for cherry or pale green for apple flavor. But also for upgrading of food low-quality food dyes are used. But there are also foods that should not be mixed with dyes because of a statutory prohibition, such as fish and meat, beer, spices, canned mushroom, potato products, chocolate or dried fruit.

Other applications

• Food dyes are also used in particular for dyeing textiles. In the Kashmir valley in the Himalayan monks collect flowers of a particular crocus. These are dried and the sperm are taken. The saffron is a hand dyeing their clothes and on the other hand a coloring and flavoring their food.
• Often stains are made for children from food coloring. Thus they are not a health risk if they reach the hands of children in the mouth and digestive system.
• When tracing underground water courses through the staining and tracking of colored water Food colors are used, the water around the course not to poison.
• The color cartridges for paintball are filled for safety with food dyes. So no poisoning is caused in a given case are accidentally consumed and also the meeting unprotected skin remains safe.
• In cosmetics, the Qualtitäten of food dyes are used to achieve good skin compatibility.
• The captured as colorants in the list of food additives E 170 to E 180 and E 181 are used for edible or non-edible surface of a product to stain or mark with stamps. In eggshells and stamping ink, these dyes do not need to be declared. In coatings and cheese rind only if they do not are not edible.

Effects on humans

As already mentioned, food colors have the effect to embellish food and thus to make it more attractive for people. Dyes can have positive effects on humans, such as carotenoids. Carotenoids are essential for vision. Retinal is a downstream product of carotene, which belongs to the carotenoids, which enables the visual process. Some food dyes - especially azo dyes - are the trigger suspicion, allergies or hyperactivity. Also why are food dyes in some consumers more and more unpopular. However, most consumers do not want to refrain from eating beautiful color and their expectations appropriately colored foods. Many dyes is not yet known what the long-term effects they have. To mitigate the health risks apply since 1887 food laws that prohibit some dyes, or allow only certain quantities. One can assume that food dyes consumed in normal amounts are not material hazardous to health. Attractively colored with food coloring products can give the consumer the impression that a food is of higher quality or fresher than an objective taste test would result. Pigments function in humans tempting to solve key stimuli and to remind of former taste experiences. The tantalizing effect colorful colored foods may be particularly pronounced in children.

ADI

Dyes for food must be safe. To determine the degree of toxicity of a dye, and thus reduce the health risk, the Acceptable Daily Intake ( ADI English of Acceptable Daily Intake) has been introduced. The value is calculated on animals that begin their life a certain additive. The lowest dose at which adverse health reactions in animals occur is called the LOAEL (Lowest -observed adverse effect level ). The next lower dose tested, which is the highest dose at which no health damage is yet occurred, is called NOAEL (No observed adverse effect level ). From this daily dose per kilogram of body weight of the animal, the ADI is calculated by a safety factor of 100. The ADI indicates how much milligrams per kilogram of body weight a person can take daily over a lifetime without any health risk to himself. The safety factor is to prevent that in the transfer of the value from animals to humans by peculiarities of human metabolism, eating habits of humans or differences between animal and human metabolism, the value is falsified. Nevertheless, the toxicological evaluation of an additive is difficult. Through interaction with other additives or reactions in the body, new risks can always arise.

Pros and Cons

Food colors lend otherwise unsightly food an appetizing appearance. Some of the materials used are also beneficial to health, such as the provitamin A. dyes that are available to be harmful suspected, can be avoided by the consumer through the declaration obligation. However, this requires knowledge of a large number of compounds.

Towards the food coloring itself is objected that low quality products can no longer be detected by staining by the consumer. Many food dyes are not necessarily required. In food colors that are so far inadequately studied, accordingly, there is a low risk for allergies, among other things contrary to a lack of benefit for the individual.

As a replacement for many synthetic dyes and food itself can be used as a coloring agent such as beetroot or spinach, which may, however, affect the taste of the food.

List of approved food dyes

Color spectrum

If the surface to be colored by a food product, even aluminum (E 173 ), silver (E 174), or gold ( E 175 ) may be used. Red, yellow, orange or black shades are widespread in foods. Blue dyes are rare to find. The reason for this is that blue food coloring usually are synthetic in nature, and synthetic dyes are not accepted by all consumers. The blue dyes patent blue V and brilliant blue FCF are acid sensitive and therefore, for example not suitable for coloring icing.

• Yellow, orange, red E 100 - curcumin; E 101 - riboflavin; E 101 a - Riboflavin -5- phosphate; E 102 - tartrazine; E 104 - Quinoline - E 110 - Sunset Yellow FCF - E160a - carotenes; E 160b - annatto; E 160 c - capsanthin; E 160 d - lycopene; E 160 e - Beta -apo -8'- carotenal; E 160 f - Beta -apo -8'- Carotinalethylester; E 161 b - lutein; E 161 g - canthaxanthin; E 161 h - zeaxanthin; E 162 - betanin; E 163 - anthocyanins - E 180 - Litholrubin BK - E 120 - Carmine; E 122 - Azorubine; E 123 - Amaranth; E 124 - Cochineal Red A; E 127 - erythrosine; E 129 - Allura Red AC
• Blue: E 131 - Patent Blue V; E 132 - indigotin; E 133 - Brilliant Blue FCF
• Green: E 140 - chlorophyll; E 141 - Copper complexes of chlorophylls and Chlorophyllins; E 142 - Green S
• Brown and black: E 150a -d - caramel; E 151 - Brilliant Black BN; E 153 - Activated carbon; E 154 - Brown FK; E 155 - Brown HT
• White, red, Metals: E 170 - calcium carbonate; E 171 - titanium dioxide; E 172 - iron oxide; E 173 - Aluminium; E 174 - silver; E 175 - gold.