Food coloring includes two categories: natural food coloring and synthetic food coloring. Natural food coloring is not harmful to the body; synthetic food coloring is harmful to the body, but within the acceptable range.
Natural food coloring comes from natural substances, mainly extracted from plant tissues, but also includes some pigments from animals and microorganisms. Synthetic food coloring refers to organic pigments made by artificial chemical synthesis, mainly made from aniline dyes isolated from coal tar. Almost all synthetic colors do not provide nutrients to the human body, and some synthetic colors can even be hazardous to human health.
The hazards of synthetic food coloring include general toxicity, diarrhea-causing, mutagenic (gene mutation) and carcinogenic effects. Especially azo compounds synthetic coloring of the carcinogenic effect is more obvious. Azo compounds in the body decomposition, can form C aromatic amine compounds, aromatic amines in the body after metabolic activities and target cells and may cause cancer. In addition, many synthetic food coloring in addition to itself or its metabolites toxic, in the production process may also be mixed with arsenic and lead.
It is recommended to consume as little synthetic food coloring as possible.
Extended information
Food coloring food precautions:
The use of food coloring should pay attention to be sure to use the nationally-approved food coloring, the use of the amount and scope of use should be in line with national standards. Note that the limit on the national standard is calculated by 100% of the pigment content, and the limit should be converted by calculation for different pigment contents. It is recommended that customers conduct small-scale experiments.
The mixing of pigment solution directly using pigment powder is not easy to distribute evenly in the food, and may form color spots. It is advisable to beat it with a small amount of cold water first and then add it to the boiled solution under constant stirring. The water used should be distilled or softened water to avoid calcium and magnesium ions causing pigmentation. Blending food or storage food containers, should use glass, enamel, stainless steel and other corrosion-resistant clean containers, avoid contact with copper, iron.
Beverages: pay attention to the water quality treatment and products to avoid light, choose water-insoluble pigments to ensure that the product is bright and transparent, and choose 85% of the content of the pigment to ensure that the product has good stability.
Emulsifying flavors: need to choose 85% content of the product, less impurities, good stability, and at the same time need to choose calcium-stabilized sunset yellow, in order to avoid emulsifying flavors in the sunset yellow meet calcium precipitation.
Candy: Note that the coloring will be added late, preferably after the sugar boiled, and the flavor added at the same time.
Dairy products: try to use 85% content of the product, in order to reduce the color contained in the salt on the adverse effects of dairy products.
Baking/jam: need to use 85% content and high temperature resistant pigment, resistant to fruit acids and sulfur dioxide in the pulp, preferably after boiling, the temperature began to fall after the sulfur dioxide content reaches its lowest point when added to the concentrated pigment solution, so the use of high solubility of the pigment is more desirable, and at the same time should be used in bright colors.
Canned food: the use of heat-resistant, fruit acid-resistant pigment. The use of red bright red acid precipitation properties of canned cherry coloring, so that the pigment will not penetrate into the canning solution.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Food Colors