
Food Colouring
There are 2 types of food colouring in the market, which is the Natural, browning colours and the artificial/synthetic one.
Food colouring can be available in liquid form, gel form, paste form and powder form.
Food colouring is important in food industry that is because it represents the ‘attire’ of the food, and it speaks on behalf of the food product. A food product, that does not utilise colouring, will be perceived as inferior quality, not delicious, and therefore losing attraction.
Besides serving as decorative purpose, food colouring acts as a protective layer of a food product, protecting it against sunlight during storage and transportation, which will in turn diminish the vitamins and flavours.
Natural colours derived or extracted from edible natural resources, chemically or physically, such as from vegetables, fruits, plants and minerals. We would like to introduce a few types of natural colours here, for your knowledge and idea on how to make use of it. Natural colours are expensive colours and many countries’ food act has been regulated in parallel towards the good health of using natural colours. But there are still many countries that do not practise using natural colours due to cost issue. There are a few natural pigment that we need to learn about natural colours, as below:
1.) Anthocyanins E163
Water solubility- yes
Colour- red, purple, blue
Source- flowers, fruits and Vege ( black grapes/ black currents/cherries/elderberries/red cabbage/strawberries)
Sensitive to pH change, strongly acidic condition, it is reddest. Turn into blue when pH rises.
Application: drinks/jams/sugar confectionery
2.) Betanin E162
Water so- yes
Colour- beetroot colour (red/pink)
Source- beetroot
Not stable to heat/light/oxygen
Application: frozen food/dried food/short shelf life food -yoghurt/ice cream
3.) Carminic acid E120
Water so-yes
Colour-red
Source-female cochineal insect
Heat stable to light/heat/oxygen
Application: alcoholic beverage/processed meat products
4.) Chlorophylls/Chlorophyllins
Water so- Chlorophyllins
Oil so- chlorophylls
Colour- green leafy
Source- plant, most widely available (alfalfa grass/nettles/parsley/spinach)
Chlorophyllins- stable to heat/light
Application: sugar confectionery/dairy products
5.) Carotenoids E160a-E160g
Water so- mostly no
Oil so- mostly yes
Colour- yellow/orange/red
Source- fruits/vegetables/plants (Annatto/carrots/orange/prawns/red peppers/saffron/tomatoes/palm fruits )
Heat stable
pH stable
Application: margarine/dairy products/soft drinks
6.) Curcumin E100
Water so- no
Oil so- yes
Colour- yellow
Source- turmeric
Heat stable
Light non stable
Application: pickles/soups/confectionery
7.) Riboflavin E101
Water so- yes
Colour-yellow
Source- eggs/milk/yeast
Heat stable
Application: for fortification and colouring in dairy products/cereals/dessert mixes
8.) Carbon Black
Colour- black
Source- carbonised vegetable materials
Heat and light insoluble pigment
Application: sugar confectionery
9.) Caramel E150a-150d
Water so- yes
Colour-brown
Source- Melanoidins
Heat stable
Light stable
Application: baked goods/soft drinks
Artificial/Synthetic (AC) colours are processed and manufactured chemically.
Overall AC are more oxygen/light/heat stable, easy to use, robust, and currently still leading the colour industry.
1.) Primary Food Colours- water soluble
Quinolone Yellow
Colour- bright yellow dye with green shades
Carmoisine/ Ponceu 4R
Colour- red to maroon shades
Application: cold beverages/ice cream/sweat meat/allied
Tartrazine/sunset yellow FCF
Colour- lemon yellow azo dye
Application: wide variety of foods such as desserts/candies/soft drinks/condiments/breakfast cereals.
Erythrosine /Allura Red AC
Colour- pink to reddish pink shades
Application: candies/popsicles/cake decorating gels
Indigo Carmine/Brilliant Blue
Colour- Blue
Fast Green
Blended artificial Food colours
Egg Yellow
Dark chocolate
Apple green
Coffee brown
Gel food colouring is made of synthetic colouring with water and a corn syrup or glycerin base. It is viscous and concentrated. It is good to use gel type when you do not want to add liquid to whatever you are dying. It is good to use when you want to create vibrant colour because you use less of it. Good to use in frostings/icings/candies.
Gel paste food colouring is thicker and more concentrated than gel food colouring. Is hard to find. Very effective in dying large amount of batter. It’s easy to add too much and harder to incorporate into stiff doughs. Some has off taste, need to find for labels as no taste.
Use liquid colouring in thick dough because it is easier to blend. Liquid colour is easier to create pastel colour. Beware of the amount of liquid added when you use liquid colouring. Easy to buy. Least intense and weakest as the base is water.