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What is Food Coloring Made From?

What are the components of Food Coloring?


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Food coloring are very essential in making our food appealing and tasty to look at. To begin with, there are two types of food colorings, these are the lake form and the dye form. The lake form is often most preferred food coloring to use since it is oil soluble, which means it is more stable and can mix well. The Dye form of coloring is water soluble and oftentimes unstable to use.

Nowadays, we have food coloring that are synthetic, or derived from compounds that are not natural. Before these types of food coloring were created, natural food coloring components were being used. The red food coloring is often derived from paprika or beet juice and sometimes derived from different insects. The green color is often made from seaweeds or seagrass. Browns are often derived from sugary foods where it can create a caramel shade.

Different colors contain different ingredients, and now with the rise of synthetic compounds, food coloring are now being created using these compounds. Red coloring has erythrosine which comes from coal tar. It is vey important to know that people with asthma should avoid this component. Another color that is derived from coal tar is the color yellow. The component present in color yellow is tartrazine and should be avoided by people who have aspirin sensitivity.

People who have special health needs and issues, such as hypersensitivity, asthma, and pneumonia should very well avoid these types of food coloring. There are also studies and research emerging which states that certain food coloring components can cause Attention Deficit Disorder, anxiety, and depression although this has not been proven yet. There are also studies that suggest food coloring may cause cancer. To prevent these from happening, the Food and Drug Association requires manufacturers to reduce the usage of food coloring for foods that are consumed by the children.

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