Additive Color Related terms:
‘A color additive is defined as any dye, pigment, or substance that imparts color Animals, Pigments, Blacks,
when added or applied to a food, drug, or cosmetic orto the human body Foods, Humans, Cosmeti
(Barrows et al, 2003). Lakes, Wells, Wills
From: Handbook on Natural Pigments in Food and Beverages, 2016
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US regulation of color additives in foods
B.P. Harp, JN. Barrows, in Colour Additives for Foods and Beverages, 2015
4.5 Color additive mixtures
Color additive mixtures are produced by mixing two or more listed color additives or one or more listed color additives
and one or more diluents. Diluents are noncolored components added to facilitate the use of mixtures in coloring FDA-
regulated products. Permitted diluents are listed in 21 CFR 73.1 (CFR, 2014). The diluents in mixtures for food use
include substances that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and some individually listed substances, such as water
and other solvents, preservatives, waxes, and gum resins. An example of a color additive mixture is ink used for marking
confectionery.
Ingredients used in the preparation of canned foods
Susan Featherstone, in A Complete Course in Canning and Related Processes (Fourteenth Edition), 2015
8.10 Colour additives
Colour additives affect the aesthetic value of food products. The colour of food, and to a certain extent the texture, are
the first impressions received by consumers and can be extremely important in determining selection among
competitive products. Colour differences from the norm are often a significant factor that will affect the consumers,
evaluation of the quality ofa product.
The 1960 Color Additives Amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act established two classifications: Certified and
uncertified food colour additives. The former are synthetic products that are manufactured by chemical processes, while
the latter are primarily natural colours and their synthetic analogues. The Color Additives Amendment brought all colour
additives, not just synthetic products, under the jurisdiction of the law. Likewise, it required re-evaluation of all colour
additives, even those previously listed and certified as harmless. It also allowed legislative bodies to set limits on the
amounts of colour additives used. The same law states that no colour additive can be used ifits use promotes deception
of the consumer, that is fit is used to cover a blemish, to conceal inferiority, or to mislead the consumer in any way.
Uniform compositional standards have also been established for colour additives and there is provision for certification
of manufacturer's individual batches of a colour additive.
‘The amendment established two lists of approved certified colour additives: a permanent list and a provisional list for
colour additives that have not been sufficiently investigated with regard to their safety for permanent listing. If food
contains any colour additive, this must be declared on the ingredients lst on the label. There are exceptions to the law,
for example, which concern the labelling of butter and cheese; these exceptions apply solely to artificial colouring agents
for these products.Annatto, beta-carotene, and beta-apo-8-carotenal are employed to colour margarine, butter, ice cream, cheese, and most
other dairy-type products. Caramel is extensively used to enrich the colour of meat products and rye bread and to colour
root beer and cola-type beverages. Titanium dioxide is used in colouring some coffee whiteners, sandwich spreads, and
candies where whitening is required. Beet powder is used in instant gravy preparations along with caramel. Ferrous
gluconate can only be used to colour ripe olives.
8.10.1 Certified colour additives
There are two main types of certified colour additives: dyes and lakes. Dyes are materials that manifest their colouring
power by being dissolved in a liquid or solvent. Lakes are pigments o insoluble forms of the dyes; the lakes show their
colouring power in the dry state and colour by dispersion. The U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act lakes are
merely alumina hydrate (aluminium hydroxide) on which dye has been absorbed.
The FORC dyes are water soluble and are insoluble in nearly all organic solvents. Water solubility of most colour
additives is quite high and in most application methods solubility is usually no problem. FD&C blue no. 2 (indigotine) is
{an exception to this, and often it would be advantageous to have a greater solubility for FD&C red no. 40.
For systems where anhydrous conditions are a consideration, glycerine and propylene glycol are used as solvents; in
‘general, the colour additives are more soluble in glycerine than in propylene glycol. Most are only very slightly soluble in
ethyl alcohol, but use is often made of the reasonable solubility in alcohol of FD&C red no. 3, FD&C blue no. 1, and
FDRC green no. 3.
Good colouring technique recommends that the dyes be solubilised before addition to the coloured product; however, it
is often possible, where water is added in the process, to add the dry colour additives to the batch and depend upon the
added moisture and heat to dissolve the colour in processing.
Dyes may be purchased as powder, granular, plating colours, wet-dry (blends), diluted (cut blends), liquid (aqueous),
liquid (non-aqueous), and paste. The best form for any specific use will be dictated by the nature of the product, the
process conditions employed, and the amount of colour additive used.
Certified colours currently approved by the FDA for use in foods are classified in two groups: permanently listed colour
additives and provisionally listed colour additives.
Table 8.12 lists colour additives approved for use in human food.
8.10.2 Problems with food colour additives
In using colour additives many problems may be encountered, such as those outlined in Table 8.13.
8.10.3 Use of certified colour additives in processed foods
‘As a general guideline, dyes and lakes may be used in any food product unless otherwise prohibited by special
regulations such as standards of identity.
1. Fruit products
The use of colour additives in the colouring of maraschino cherries is widely known and well documented. Usage levels
range from 125-500 g of certified colour additive per 1000 kg of cherries; it is suggested that the sulphur dioxide content
not exceed 100 ppm. The use of FD&C red no. 3 in colouring cocktail cherries is well known to the trade. The advantage
of this colour additive is that it can be set (precipitated) by cit
cherries.
ic acid rendering the colour additive non-bleeding in the
Apple rings, crab-apples, and flavoured apple sauces are coloured with combinations of water soluble dyes.
Combinations of 50 parts FD&C red no. 40 and 50 parts FO&C yellow no. 6 are being used, and some FD&C red no. 3
can be used for improved brightness. A suggested colour level is 30-40 g of colour additive per 100 L of syrup. In
favoured apple sauces, 60-190 g of colour per 1000 kg is used to suggest the flavour that is combined with the
applesauce.
2. Pickles and relishes
Because of its cost, variability, low flavour value, and lack of light stability, turmeric is being replaced in some pickles andrelishes. Laboratory trials indicate that FD&C yellow no. 5 can replace turmeric atthe rate of 60 g of certified colour
additive for 1 kg of turmeric. For those desiring certified colour additives for relishes, a combination of FD&C yellow no.
5 (two parts) and FD&C blue no. 1 (one part) used at the rate of 0.8-7 g per 100 L of brine is particularly useful. If this
blend is too bright or artificial looking, then the addition of a small amount of FD&C red no. 40 is useful.
3. Paprika and other coloured spice replacements
Because of the cost and variability of oleoresin paprika, many food processors are replacing it in non-standardised food
products; colour additive manufacturers have a good deal of information available regarding the replacement of paprika
in many products. The economics for replacements of oleoresin paprika are decidedly in favour of certified colour
additive; one part of certified colour additive will replace seven to eight parts of oleoresin paprika in most wet products.
Food processors are encouraged to contact colour additive suppliers who offer the technical service needed. Food
manufacturers are also cautioned to check closely with colour additive manufacturers to keep abreast of the regulatory
developments.
Food packers and manufacturers should also keep in mind the aluminium lakes that are finding increasing uses in food
products.
Food Regulations and Enforcement in the USA
Edward A. Steele, .. Robert Martin, in Reference Module in Food Science, 2016
Color Additives
‘color additive’ is defined as any dye, pigment, or other substance that can impart color to a food, drug, or cosmetic, or
to the human body, except any substance the FDA determines is intended solely for a use other than coloring. All color
additives (except cosmetic hair dyes) are subject to premarket approval. In addition, all color additives must be properly
declared on food labels and beverage labels. Unlike food additives, there is no GRAS exemption from the definition of
color additives.
The FDA issues regulations listing color additives that have been approved as safe for their intended uses. FDAS review of
color additive petitions is similar to the review of food additive petitions. The petitioner must submit data demonstrating
the new color additive's safety and suitability for its intended uses. As is the case for food additives, there is a Delaney
Clause for color additives that prohibits the FDA from determining a color additive is safe for any use thatwill result in
the additive being ingested if the agency finds it induces cancer when ingested by human or animals, or it is found by
gestion.
appropriate tests to induce cancer in man or animals through a method other tha
As a condition of use, some approved color additives require batch certification by the FDA before they can be sold.
Certification generally is required by the FDA when the composition of the additive needs to be controlled to protect,
public health. Synthetic organic dyes, lakes, and pigments must be batch certified, whereas color additives derived from
plant or mineral sources generally are exempt from batch certification,
‘As with food additives, the approved conditions of use for certain color additives may extend to lal
addition, regulations governing food color additive labeling can be found in 21 CFR 101.22.
ing requirements. In
Overview of EU regulations and safety assessment for food
colours
MJ. Scotter, in Colour Additives for Foods and Beverages, 2015
3.4 Labelling of food colour additives in the EU
EU colour additive regulations do not define the term ‘natural’ nor do they make the distinction between ‘natural’ and
‘artificial’ colours. This is based largely on the premise that the term ‘natural’ is associated with the origins of food (and‘other materials) ata much higher, more fundamental level by consumers in the EU. The safety ofall food colour
additives, both natural and artifical, is stringently evaluated for safety irrespective of their origin. In a labelling context,
the term ‘natural’ may infer that natural colour additives are a priori safer than artificial colours. Conversely, the presence
of all food additives in foods must be dedared following EU labelling directives, where the category of additive (e.g.
colour) is followed by the full name of the additive andjor its E number. In light of the Southampton study, the UK FSA
published guidance on the labelling of certain food colours as set out in Regulation 1333/2008 (FSA, 2010). For those
businesses that have retained these colours and have to label their products with the required warning notice, the
‘Competent Authority in the UK (FSA) has produced guidance to assist them with this (FSA, 2010). Guidance is also
available that aims to assist businesses that want to remove these colours and replace them with altematives (FSA, 2011).
The essential actions to comply with the regulation(s) prescribe that when using the colours listed below in food and
drink there is a requirement (subject toa limited number of exemptions) to indude additional information [name or E
number ofthe colours) that may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children:
+ Sunset Yellow(E 110)
+ Quinoline Yellow (E 104)
+ Carmoisine (E 122)
+ Allura Red (E 129)
+ Tartrazine (E 102)
+ Ponceau 4R (E124)
Methods of analysis for food colour additive quality and safety
assessment
MJ. Scotter, in Colour Additives for Foods and Beverages, 2015
6.1.2 Safety aspects
Al permitted food colour additives in the EU (and elsewhere) are thoroughly assessed for safety on a regular basis,
including natural colours extracted from recognised food sources. For the synthetic colours, the purity criteria include
impurities derived from manufacturing such as starting materials (e.g. unsulphonated primary aromatic amines), heavy
metals, intermediate compounds, and subsidiary colouring materials — namely, coloured components other than the
main colour principles). Intermediate compounds are defined collectively as the precursors and side reaction products
arising from the various synthetic stages and transformations such as oxidation, reduction, condensation, amination,
sulphonation, and diazotisation. Several intermediates are common to anumber of synthetic dye classes whereas others
are unique. These are summarised in Table 6.1 and give ri
tosome interesting issues.
Table 6.1. cu specifi intermediate compounds for yrthetic food exlours
Colour Eno, Intermediate compounds"?
Tartrazine 102 4-hydrazinobenzenesulfonic acid
4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid
5-ox0-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-2-pyrazoline-3-carboxylic acid
44’-diazoaminodifbenzenesulfonic acid)
Tetrahydrosuccinic acid
Quinoline Yellow 104 2-methylquinoline
2-methylquinolinesulfonic acid
242-quinoyi)indan-1,3-dioneSunset Yellow FCF
Carmoisine
‘Amaranth
Ponceau 4R
Erythrosine
Red 26°
Allura Red AC
Patent Blue V
Indigo Carmine
Brilliant Blue FCF
Green §
Fast Green FCF
Brilliant Black PN.
Brown FKE
Brown HT
uo
12
12
124
wz
128
129
BI
132
133
142
13
isi
154
155
4-aminobenzene-1-sulfonic acid
3-hydroxynaphthalene-27-disulfonic acd
6-hydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid
7-hydroxynaphthalene-1,3-disulfonic acid
4,f’-diazoaminodi(benzenesulfonic acid)
xydifnaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid)
4-aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonicacid
4-hydroxynaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid
4-aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonicacid
3-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid
6-hydroxynaphthalene-2-suilfonic acid
7-hydroxynaphthalene-1,3-disulfonic acid
T-hydroxynaphthalene-13,6-trisulfonie acid
4-aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonicacid
7 -hydroxynaphthalene-1,3-disulfonic acid
3-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulfonic acid
6-hydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid
7-hydroxynaphthalene-13,6-trisulfonie acid
Tri-lodoresorcinol
242,4-dihydroxy-3,5-di-iodobenzoy)benzoic acid
5-acetamido-4-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-