ABSTRACT
Food Additives ...........................................................................................605 7.3.3 Limits of Colorant Concentrations in Foods.............................................612 7.3.4 Synthetic Food Colorant Formulations .....................................................613 7.3.5 Synthetic Colorant Stability ......................................................................614 Acknowledgment ...................................................................................................615 References..............................................................................................................615
Color is an important feature of food, and consumers often associate it with quality, taste, and flavor. Colorants were used for centuries to improve the appearances of foods, cosmetics, and clothing. Until the 19th century, the colorants used were of natural origin like henna for hair dying or saffron for providing color and flavor to food. During the 19th century, inorganic color compounds such as copper sulfate and red lead were used to color foods, from tea leaves to cheese. At the same time, the rapid development of chemical synthesis led to the industrial production of a large number of organic synthetic colorants. More than 80 synthetic colorants were available in 1907, mostly derived from coal tar and petroleum, and some were used as food additives without proper safety evaluations. Several reported health problems, intoxications, and even deaths were related to the consumption of foods containing synthetic colorants.
