Food Color Additives: Natural or Certifiable?

An age old cliché says that we "eat with our eyes". For centuries, people have been adding color to food to make it look more appealing. Psychologically, food tastes better when it looks appetizing. Oftentimes, a certain color is associated with a particular food, and the color of the food can influence the perceived flavor. Many foods that do not have color additives appear pale and unappetizing.

Today, there are a myriad of food colors approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All food color additives are regulated by the FDA to ensure that foods are safe to eat. Additives must be accurately identified on the food label. Some food colors come from natural sources, and some are called "certifiable". Certifiable colors are additives that are manmade. They are generally more vibrant, and more stable than their natural counterparts. There are currently nine certified colors approved by the FDA. Natural food colorings, which are exempt from certification, are obtained from vegetables, minerals, or animals. Both certifiable and exempt from certification color additives have to meet stringent standards to pass safety requirements. Once approved by the FDA, color additives can be legally used in food products.

Some the natural food colorings date back to early civilizations, and some are more current findings. The following are some of the more common food colorings used today:

Annatto Produced from the achiote tree found in Central and South America, using the reddish pulp surrounding the seed of the achiote. Annotto is commonly used in several kinds of cheeses, margarine, butter, and rice.

Anthocyanin This pigment ranges from red to blue, and is synthesized by various plants, including pansies and apples.

Beet Powder is extracted from red beets to produce this color.

Berries Blueberries, cranberries, and elderberries are commonly used to produce blue and dark red colorings.

Caramel Color Sugar and other carbohydrates are heated to produce a caramel color, which is used in baked goods, soft drinks, and sauces.

Carmine This bright red color is often used in beverages, gelatin products, yogurt, ice cream and candy.It is derived from carminic acid, which is obtained from insects. The cochineal are dried, then boiled in water to extract the carminic acid.

Chlorophyll Obtained from plant leaves, chlorophyll provides a green color.

Hibiscus The hue of the hibiscus is a brown to red shade. It is commonly used in tea, and tea based beverages.

Paprika Oleoresin This yellow-orange to orange-red color is produced by extracting pigments from the sweet red pepper. Paprika oleoresin is usually found in processed foods, including sausage, food coatings, and flavorings in snack foods.

Turmeric Turmeric, a yellow color, comes from a flowering plant of the ginger family.

Although the FDA tests and approves food color additives before they can be used, that does not guarantee that there will not be any adverse reactions. Some food dyes have been found to cause allergic reactions in a small percentage of people, and there are some claims of certain food colorings causing hyperactivity in children. However, in 1982 the National Institutes of Health determined that coloring additives were not related to claims of hyperactivity.

If you are wondering about the small bottles of food coloring in your kitchen cabinet, they are most likely certified colors, which are man-made.