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There has always been an attraction
towards coloured foods.
A Roman saying goes that people "eat with
their eyes" as much as with their palates. Since ancient
civilisations, spices such as saffron have often been used
to provide a rich colour to various foods.
But what are food colour additives?
Technically
speaking, a colour additive is any dye, pigment or substance
that can impart colour when added or applied to food. Food
colours are used in a variety of different foods such as dairy,
confectionery, beverages, bakery and even cereals.
Why Use Colour Additives?
Though there is a growing realisation
that colour additives should be used sparingly, the fact is
that some foods do not look presentable without colour and
appear unappetising. Colours are used to bring a variation
to preserved
food and
maintain the natural appeal.
Other uses include:
 To preserve colour loss
due to exposure to environmental extremes
To correct natural variations
in colour
To enhance colours that
occur naturally
To provide a colourful
identity to foods
To protect flavours
and vitamins that may be affected by sunlight during storage
Food colours used today are both artificial and natural.
Irrespective of the source (natural or artificial), colours
have to be approved for their safety prior to being added
to any food. For commercial purposes, artificial colours are
usually preferred as they are brighter, more stable, provide
better colour uniformity, have a lower cost in use, and blend
together
easily.
The
Hawkins Watts New Zealand COLOUR SELECTOR
A tool to assist in the selection of the best food colouring for a particular
food application. |
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