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.