Food color additives are vital to how we taste and perceive food, yet they generally remain mysterious to the public. First, it uses recent examples to illustrate the importance of colors to our enjoyment of food. It then recounts the early history of food colors and the emergence of regulation to prevent their unsafe and fraudulent uses. The margarine war of the late 19th and early 20th centuries is described, as well as the 1906 and 1938 Food and Drug Acts.

Demand for natural food coloring has been growing, sparked by a general demand among consumers for all-natural products. As the food industry works with the health industry, the use of natural colors will become more prevalent not only for color but also for properties that could benefit for the health of children and adults.

The food industry currently sees a trend toward natural food products; however, synthetic colors will continue to play a role while the FDA and the food industry continue research in natural food coloring.

 

Food coloring, or color additive, is any dye, pigment or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink. They come in many forms consisting of liquids, powders, gels and pastes. Food coloring is used both in commercial food production and in domestic cooking. Due to its safety and general availability, food coloring is also used in a variety of non-food applications including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, home craft projects and medical devices.

 

Over 400 different carotenoids have been identified in red/orange/yellow fruits, vegetables and plants. Nature produces carotenoids at the rate of 1000 million tons per year. Most are oil soluble, heat stable and are not affected by pH change. The uses of carotenoids include margarine, dairy products and soft drinks.

Chlorophyll is the most widely distributed natural plant pigment, present in all green leafy vegetables. It is a green, oil soluble color. Chlorophyllins are water soluble and relatively stable when exposed to heat and light. Uses include sugar confectionery and dairy products.

Turmeric is a well known spice, used widely in cookery. Its pigment, cur cumin, is oil soluble and tends to fade in light, but has good heat stability. It gives a lemon yellow shade in food systems. Its applications include pickles, soups and confectionery.

Elope associate certain colors with certain flavors, and the color of food can influence the perceived flavor in anything from candy to wine. Sometimes the aim is to simulate a color that is perceived by the consumer as natural, such as adding red coloring to glace cherries (which would otherwise be beige), but sometimes it is for effect.

Certified colors are synthetically produced and are used widely because they impart an intense, uniform color, are less expensive, and blend more easily to create a variety of hues. There are nine certified color additives approved for use in the United States. Certified food colors generally do not add undesirable flavors to foods.

Colors that are exempt from certification include pigments derived from natural sources such as vegetables, minerals or animals. Nature derived color additives are typically more expensive than certified colors and may add unintended flavors to foods. Examples of exempt colors include annatto, beet extract, caramel, beta-carotene and grape skin extract.

Because food dyes are generally safer to use than normal artists' dyes and pigments, some artists have used food coloring as a means of making pictures, especially in forms such as body-painting. Red food dye is often used in theatrical blood.

Most artificial food colorings are a type of acid dye, and can be used to dye protein fibers and nylon with the addition of an acid. They are all wash fast and most are also lightfast. They will not permanently bond to plant fibers and other synthetics.

Annatto Color that is prepared using pure seeds. It is extracted from Bixa Orellana. It is processed with the help of latest machinery under hygienic conditions. We are considered to be one of the well-known Manufacturers and Exporters of Annatto Color in India.

 The Annatto color is also available in sealed packs and in different quantities.