Why is colouring added to food during processing

Color additives come from both synthetic and natural sources. Color additives can also help offset color loss in food due to exposure to light, air, moisture or temperature extremes, as well as storage conditions. FDA has approved nine certified color additives for use in foods. For example, the FDA regulates for safety the yellow food dye that makes margarine yellow, and the green food dye that makes mint ice cream green.

Synthetic color additives, also known as certified colors, undergo batch certification. This is a process in which FDA analyzes a representative sample of each batch of the color additive from the food manufacturing company or lab to verify that it meets the required identity and specifications before it is used in food.

Before certifying a batch, the FDA also analyzes the chemical composition to help make sure it is safe. Whether they are natural or synthetic, FDA regulates all food coloring and dyes as color additives.

American Chemical Society. Institute of Food Technologists. Add A Review Now! Comment on this. Follow Us! Beef Cooking Times.

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But there is a reason these food fads did not last. Consumers prefer that the color of food matches its flavor. The link between color and taste is logical.

Since oranges are orange, we expect orange-colored drinks to be orange-flavored. Red drinks should taste like cherries, and purple drinks should taste like grapes. If a food is multicolored, it could be moldy and should not be eaten, unless you are eating blue cheese—which gets its distinct flavor from mold!

An astonishing amount of the foods we eat is processed. These foods are altered from their natural states to make them safe, say, to remove harmful bacteria, or to make them appealing and to prolong their shelf life. Much of what we eat would not look appealing if it was not colored. Think of food coloring as cosmetics for your food. Without coloring, hot dogs would be gray. To avoid so much processed food, some have advocated using natural food coloring, whenever possible.

Natural dyes have been used for centuries to color food. Some of the most common ones are carotenoids, chlorophyll, anthocyanin, and turmeric.

Carotenoids have a deep red, yellow, or orange color. Probably the most common carotenoid is beta-carotene Fig. Since beta-carotene is soluble in fat, it is a great choice for coloring dairy products, which typically have a high fat content.

So beta-carotene is often added to margarine and cheese. And, yes, if you eat too many foods that contain beta-carotene, your skin may turn orange. Fortunately, this condition is harmless. Figure 1. Beta-carotene is composed of two small six-carbon rings connected by a chain of carbon atoms.

Chlorophyll is another natural pigment, found in all green plants. This molecule absorbs sunlight and uses its energy to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water. This process is known as photosynthesis and is the basis of life on Earth. Mint- or lime-flavored foods, such as candy and ice cream, are sometimes colored using chlorophyll. The best natural source for deep purple and blue colors is anthocyanin. Grapes, blueberries, and cranberries owe their rich color to this organic compound.

Unlike beta-carotene, anthocyanins—which form a class of similar compounds rather than a single chemical compound—are soluble in water, so they can be used to color water-based products.

Blue corn chips, brightly colored soft drinks, and jelly are often dyed with anthocyanins. More than different anthocyanins have been isolated from plants. They are all based on a single basic core structure, the flavylium ion Fig. This ion contains three six-carbon rings, as well as many hydroxyl —OH groups that make the molecule polar it has partially negative and partially positive charges and water-soluble. Figure 2. Chemical structure of an anthocyanin. R 1 and R 2 are functional groups, and R 3 is a sugar molecule.

Another natural food additive you have probably consumed is turmeric, which is added to mustard to impart a deep yellow color. Turmeric is obtained from the underground stem of a plant that grows in India, and it is commonly used as a spice in Indian food.

Many U. If you add a basic substance to mustard, it will turn red. The next time you enjoy strawberry-flavored yogurt or cranberry juice, you may be eating bugs!

These insects did not contaminate your food by accident. An extract from a type of insect, known as the cochineal, was deliberately added by the food manufacturer.

For centuries, the Aztecs used these insects to dye fabrics a deep-red color.