Live a Healthy Life with Natural Food Coloring

Turmeric - A Natural Food Coloring

September 10, 2010- Dull colored food or food without any color has no appeal and you wont eat it as appearance matters a lot to human beings. Food coloring has been used in every civilization. Like in ancient Egypt, saffron was used to impart yellow color to the food that still is used predominantly in different kinds of food and beverages. It also gives color to the wine. Natural coloring now a days in not only used in the food industry but many other industries like cosmetic, pharmaceutical, plastic etc use the natural and artificial coloring in the form of natural food colors, dyes and lake colors.

Types of Natural Food Coloring

Saffron is used in the food to give yellow color and a native spice of Asia. Along with color it also has the excellent aroma that makes the food more delicious.

Turmeric is again a dark yellow colored powder that is made from the herb Curcuma longa. It also has many medicinal properties and used in India since long time. Today also every dish in India use turmeric.

Caramel food coloring is made by heating the carbohydrates at controlled temperature through the process of caramelization. This is somewhat bitter in taste and has the odor of bitter sugar. It is used to give color to beer, brown breads, batter, cookies, chocolates, brandy, rum etc.

Betanin is red colored food dye that is obtained from beets. It is the food additive with E number as E162. Ice creams, soft drinks, beverages are the most common foods in which betanin is used as natural food coloring. It also acts as an antioxidant.

Paprika is obtained from the Capsicum annuum who dried fruit is grinded to get the paprika. The food coloring is used to color rice, soups, stews and other preparation of sausages.

Red sandal wood is blackish brown in color and gives dark red liquid when cut. Red sandal wood is a natural food color used in many kinds of food. Along with this it also has the anti acne, and wound healing properties so it is extensively used as ayurveda herb in India.

Types of Artificial Food Coloring

There are many food colors that are artificially prepared and safe to use. All of these are permitted by the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. With time elimination of old ones and addition of new artificial food coloring keeping happening with the changes in rules and regulations.

It is a red mono azo dye that is odourless.

Tartrazine is the yellow dye 5 with E number 102. It is one of the most common artificial food coloring used across the world for yellow color. In addition to food it is also used in capsules, syrups and beverages.

FD&C Blue No. 1 is a reddish blue powder with E number E133 and used in ice creams, peas that are canned and processed, sweets, dairy products and drinks.

Apart from these food coloring there FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 6, Ponceau 4R, Quinoline Yellow etc.