CJW-Food+Colors

What is color additive? -- any dye, pigment or substance which when added or applied to food, drug or cosmetic or to human body is capable of imparting color.

Functions of food colors
 * Encourage acceptance by offsetting color loss caused by exposure to light, extremes temperature and/ or moisture
 * correcting natural color variation
 * Enhancing naturally weak colors
 * Providing a colorful identity to products
 * Supply a fun look to kid-oriented beverage and candies.

2 types of color
 * Natural colours **-- do not require certification

Advantages:
 * Oil soluble
 * can provide transparent color to liquid, oil-based products
 * Nutraceutical value e.g carotenoids and anthocyanins recognised for antioxidants

Disadvantages
 * Stability-- sensitive to light and heat exposure, limited pH range
 * Available colors-- not available in blue or green
 * Concentration-- need higher levels compared to the artificial
 * Objectionable off flavor and off odors
 * Cost-- high

**Turmeric--**
 * cultivated widely in tropical countries
 * main colouring pigment is curcumin- good heat and acid stability but sensitive to light
 * lemon yellow color
 * used: curry, bakery products

**Paprika--**
 * grown in central Europe, USA, Asia and Africa
 * main coloring pigment: capsanthin, capsorubin and beta carotene
 * Orange red color
 * used: meats, souups, sauces and snacks
 * fairly stable to heat and light

**Anthocyanins--**
 * Source: grapes and blackcurrant
 * pH dependent coloring agent
 * red at low pH to brownish green at high pH
 * Used: beverages, sugar confectionary, fruit prepartions
 * fairly stable to heat and light.

**Annatto--**
 * Oldest colorants for food, cosmetics & textiles
 * Yellow to red color
 * used extensively in dairy due to it water solubility
 * Advantage: strong anti oxidative property
 * Somewhat unstable to light and oxigen

-- man-made & have been assigned an FD&C number(indicates that they are approved by FDA for coloring) -- tend to be more economical (smaller quantity is required); easily produce uniform, intense colors; stand up to heat, light, pH and other factors; and do not add off-flavors -- e.g. FD&C Blue No1 and 2, Red No40, Green No3, Yellow No 5 and 6, orange B, Citrus No 2
 * Synthetic colours **-- require certification

-- certified colors water-soluble dyes-- dissolve in water lakes-- water soluble FD&C combine with an insoluble material/substrate lake impart color by dispersing into the medium

Application Colored noodle products
 * Chewing gum for lakes**
 * dispersing the lake into the gum matrix provides homogenous coloration, despite limited amounts of water that would hinder color development of a dye
 * during chewing, color remains locked inside the gum matrix instead of leaching out into saliva
 * Lakes are useful in products containing fats and oils. e.g. chocolate, compound coating, icing and cookie filling
 * water-soluble dyes may provide excellent coloration to pasta in a package
 * but it will leach out during boiling, result in faded noodle on the plate.