food intolerance

Food coloring

What are

Food colors are substances that have no nutritional value, or are used for non-nutritive purposes, added during the processing of food products to give them particular chromatic characteristics or enhance their original color, thus giving them an inviting and more appealing appearance. The use of food dyes, therefore, aims essentially to increase consumer interest and appreciation of the products to which they are added. Not surprisingly, the average consumer perceives the quality of a food also and above all from its appearance; so, the orangeade is good only if orange, mint if green, butter if pale yellow, yolk if orange and so on.

Since the use of food colors can make a product of poor quality appear to be of good quality, there are some foods for which this practice is prohibited, and others for which it is possible only with the due limitations. Just to cite some examples (for the complete list see the text of the ministerial decree 209/96 and subsequent modifications), it is not possible to add food colors to milk, yogurt, eggs, mineral waters, meats, poultry, game, oils and fats of animal and vegetable origin, flour, bread, pasta, honey, fruit juices, tomato and canned or bottled concentrates, goat and sheep milk butter and various types of cheese. On the other hand, the categories in which the greatest use of food dyes is made are those of non-alcoholic beverages, sweets and baked goods in general (ice-creams, pastries, confectionery products), food supplements, sauces and pre-packaged foods. Still from the legislative point of view, food colors are not to be considered:

  1. vegetable and fruit extracts and juices (eg carrot, elderberry, lemon, strawberry, parsley);

  2. dried or concentrated food products;

  3. aromatic substances with a secondary coloring effect, such as paprika, saffron;

  4. the pigments used to color the inedible external parts of food products (sausage or cheese coverings).

Natural and artificial colors

A particularly interesting classification for the consumer is that which distinguishes food colors in natural dyes and artificial colorings . Many substances with great variability of origin and chemical structure belong to the first category; although natural is not always synonymous with harmless and healthy, these dyes have a great consensus from consumers, who on the other hand do not look favorably on synthetic additives, due to the alleged danger promptly raised by the latest research on the subject. However, if on one hand natural dyes have advantages of better tolerability and safety, on the other hand artificial ones are preferred by industries because they are more stable to temperature and pH fluctuations, and resistant to light and oxidation processes. Some of the substances created by man to satisfy these needs, however, have subsequently proved to be harmful to man himself (just remember some examples: Rosso Sudan, Giallo Burro).

Note however that the distinction between natural and artificial dyes does not exist in legal terms, since the legislation concerning labeling allows the use of the term "natural" only in the case of aromas. In other words, from a regulatory point of view, "natural" dyes do not exist. Furthermore, the dyes obtained from natural sources inevitably undergo a series of technological processes of extraction, purification and stabilization, such that the natural adjective would still be questionable.

Classification of colorants

Like all additives authorized for use, and recognized at the level of the European Community, the dyes are classified and identified with a letter E followed by a number, in the specific case between 100 and 180. More specifically, all the colors included between 100 and 163 are natural or synthetic organic, while the rest (from 170 to 180) are inorganic dyes - minerals. Below is a list of the permitted food colorings, underlining with a green background those of "natural origin" and with a red background those for which there is concrete evidence regarding a possible danger in particular categories of subjects.

List of Allowed Food Colorants

(Annex No. 1 of the European Directive 94/36, concerning the dyes authorized for use).

The use of aluminum pigments prepared with the dyes specified in this annex is authorized.

EC No. Common nameCI number (1) or description
E 100Curcumin75300
E 101i) Riboflavin
ii) Riboflavin-5'-phosphate
E 102tartrazine19140
E 104Quinoline yellow47005
E 110Sunset yellow FCF 15985
Orange yellow S
E 120Cochineal, Carminic acid, various types of Carmine75470
E 122Azorubina, Carmoisina14720
E 123Amaranth16185
E 124Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red A16255
E 127erythrosine45430
E 128Red 2G (CURRENTLY FORBIDDEN)18050
E 129Allura red AC16035
E 131Blue patent V42051
E 132Indigotina, Carmine d'Indigo73015
E 133Brilliant blue FCF42090
E 140Chlorophylls e75810
chlorophyllins75815
i) chlorophylls
ii) chlorophyllins
E 141Chlorophylls and chlorophyllins complexes with copper75815
i) complexes of chlorophylls with copper
ii) chlorophyllin complexes with copper
E 142Green S44090
E 150aSimple caramel (2)
E 150bSulphite-caustic caramel
E 150cAmmoniacal caramel
E 150dSulphite-ammoniacal caramel
E 151Brilliant Black BN, Black PN28440
E 153Charcoal
E 154Bruno FK
E 155Bruno HT20285
E 160a caroteni
i) Mixed Carotenes75130
ii) Beta-carotene40800
And 160bAnnatto, Bissina, Norbissina75120
And 160cPaprika extract, Capsantin, Capsorubin
E 160dlycopene
And 160ebeta-apo-8'-carotenal (C30)40820
E 160fAcid ethyl ester40825
Beta-apo-8'-carotenic (C30)
E 161bLutein
And 161gcanthaxanthin
E 162Red beet, betanin
E 163AnthocyaninsExtracts from fruit and vegetable products with physical procedures
E 170Calcium carbonate77220
E 171Titanium dioxide77891
E 172Iron oxides and hydroxides77491
77492
77499
E 173Aluminum
E 174Silver
E 175Gold
E 180Litolrubin BK

(1) CI numbers are taken from the work "Color Index", third edition, 1982, volumes 1-7, 1315, as well as from the modifications 37-40 (125), 41-44 (127-50), 45-48 (130), 49-52 (132-50), 53-56 (135).

(2) The name "Caramel" indicates the more or less marked brown substances intended for coloring. This name does not indicate the sweet and aromatic product obtained by heating the sugar and used to flavor foods (eg sweets, pastry products and alcoholic beverages).

List of food colors referred to in Article 24 for which food labeling includes additional information

Foods containing one or more of the following food colors

  • Sunset yellow (E 110) [*]
  • Quinoline Yellow (E 104) [*]
  • Carmoisina (E 122) [*]
  • Allura red (E 129) [*]
  • Tartrazine (E 102) [*]
  • Ponceau 4R (E 124) [*]

must bear the following name: "name or E number of the dye / dyes: it may have a negative effect on the activity and attention of the children".

Tartrazine and Azole Dyes

NOTES: in sensitive persons - such as children and those predisposed because they are allergic, intolerant or already suffering from asthma, urticaria or rhinitis - tartrazine and other azo dyes

they can cause asthmatic attacks, hives and episodes of rhinitis. The prevalence of currently estimated Tartrazine intolerance is less than 0.12% in the general population (JECFA 2007), but as anticipated is quite common in allergy sufferers. Diets that eliminate tartrazine and other azo dyes can therefore be beneficial for sensitive patients suffering from hives, asthma and eczema.

An increasing number of studies have confirmed a connection between the ingestion of azo dyes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Dye E 128 Red 2G

Regarding the color E 128 Red 2G EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) concluded that - since the dye is metabolised rapidly and widely in aniline, and this being considered a carcinogenic substance for which it is not possible to exclude a genotoxic mechanism - it would be prudent to consider it as a safety concern. The Agency then withdrew the ADI (acceptable daily intake) for food coloring E 128 Red 2G.