The food colours can be divided into two basic categories – natural food colouring and artificial food colouring.

 Natural Food Colouring

Natural food colouring comes from edible sources like fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, etc. Natural food colours are prepared by physical or chemical extraction of the required pigment from the sources. As a result, natural food colours show a wide variety of colours when added to food or drink. 


Fruits, vegetables, and spices as basic as strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, beetroots, saffron, and turmeric can be effortlessly used to obtain shades like red, orange, and yellow. They are easily obtained and are simple to prepare, making them a great alternative to store-bought synthetic food-colours. Natural colouring is also preferred over the artificial due to the absence of harmful chemicals. However natural food colouring is less vibrant when compared to artificial food colouring.


Artificial Food Colouring

Artificial food colouring, also known as synthetic food colours. These are food colours that are produced from synthetic petroleum-based chemicals and are widely used in commercial food production processes. Based on nature, they are categorised in the following forms: 


Powder-based: This type of colour has a longer shelf life as compared to other counterparts and is less pigmented. Pigments are mixed with starch or flour binder to create a powdery texture. Due to the same reason, it is difficult to mix evenly and also tends to produce a grainy texture when added to food.

Liquid-based: These are water-based artificial food colouring. They tend to come in a wide variety and are concentrated which helps to achieve the required food colour in a few drops. These are usually gluten-free and fat-free but tend to leave a peculiar aftertaste.

Gel-based: These are glycerine or corn-starch based and have a paste-like consistency. It is the most concentrated food colouring of all and requires very less dilution to use.

Oil-based: This type of artificial food colouring is made by mixing synthetic colours in vegetable oil. These tend to be expensive but provide bright shades which do not fade over time. 


Side-Effects of Food Colours

Food colours have been subject to many controversies due to the harmful effects of artificial food colours on human health. Some of these include:


Allergic Reactions

The allergies occurring from food dye are considered rare but individuals that are sensitive can face this issue. The main food colours that cause allergic reactions are – tartrazine, carmine annatto, and saffron. The common symptoms of food colour allergies are- headache, itchy skin, swelling of lips, itchy throat, and breathing difficulties. It can even cause wheezing and asthma in children!


Neurobehavioral issues in Children

Studies have found that there is a link between health issues in children and food colouring. Artificial food colours can cause hyperactivity, allergic reactions, and other neurobehavioral disorders in children. Moreover, it is also found that synthetic food colours may cause inflammation and affect the immune system.


Cancer

There is evidence that many artificial food colours are carcinogenic and are said to cause cancer in animals, however, there is no research available that supports the argument in the context of human health. Several food colours which are found to cause cancer in rats when consumed at a high level, are considered safe for human consumption at a low level. 


Conclusion

In recent years, there has been a growth in the usage of natural food colours in households and the food industry. Due to the harmful impacts of artificial colours, it is advisable to use natural food colouring sources. 


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