FOOD COLORING & APPLICATION
Color Reference For Your Order
There are two main types of colors:
Natural and Synthetic
Natural and Synthetic
1) Natural Colours.
Natural Colours are extracted from natural matter such as plants, trees and insects. The disadvantage of Natural Colours is that they are:
a) More expensive.
b) Less stable.
c) Weaker
2) Synthetic Colours.
Synthetic colours are manufactured by the ton in batch lots, the most common of which is the AZO DYE (-N=N-). There are hundreds of AZO DYES, which can produce virtually every colour required. Only a handful of these colours have FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval. The basic colours are two shades of Red, two shades of Blue, a Yellow and an Orange. Other FDA colours are available, but with these basic colours in varying strengths and combinations, virtually every colour can be formulated.
Primary & Lake colours
- There are two types of Food Colours: Primary and Lake
1) Primary Colours. .
Primary Colours are water-soluble and usually used for wet applications.
2) Lake Colours.
Lake Colours impart their colour by dispersion. Lake Colours are manufactured by adsorbing the Primary colour on to Aluminium Hydroxide. This is then dried and very finely milled. Lakes are generally used in Dry Applications where finely divided particles of lake, form a coating on the surface of the product.
FOOD COLORING AND APPLICATION Color Order Chart
Bakery
Beverage
Confectionery
Pharmaceutical Products
Blended food colors
Dairy & Ice cream
Cosmetics & Toiletries
Soft Drink Concentrates
Squashes
Medicines
Seafood
All Edible preparations
Why food Colour?
If food does not taste good, people will not try it again. If it doesn’t look good, people may not try it at all. To understand why natural colors are so important for improving the visual appeal of food and beverage products, it is helpful to understand the science, psychology and history of colour.
The Science of Color
The science of color is sometimes referred to as chromatics, colorimetry or color science. It includes the perception of color by the human eye and brain, the origin of color in materials, color theory in art, and the physics of electromagnectic radiation in the visible range — commonly referred to as “light.” The color wheel can be divided into warm colors (those associated with the colors of the sun, such as red, yellow and orange) and cool colors (those associated with night, such as blue, purple and green). There are also three primary colors used to make all other colors: red, yellow, and blue. Secondary colors can be created by blending combinations of red, yellow or blue together to achieve orange, green or purple. This same color psychology phenomenon was also reported by the Journal of Consumer Research (March 2007), which found that consumer taste perceptions were directly influenced by beverage color. In fact, color was more influential in consumer product preference than price or even product quality — stunning evidence of just how important color is! In the March 2010 issue of Chemosensory Perception, it was reported that food color does indeed influence a food or drink’s taste and flavor perception in humans. “People’s judgments of flavor identity are often affected by the changing of a food or drink’s color (be it appropriate, inappropriate, or absent).”
Psychological Properties of Food Color
Red
Psychological Association: Physical
Positive: Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, ‘fight or flight’, stimulation, masculinity, excitement.
Negative: Defiance, aggression, visual impact, strain.
Blue
Psychological Association: Intellectual
Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, efficiency, serenity, duty, logic, coolness, reflection, calm
Negative: Coldness, aloofness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness
Yellow
Psychological Association: Emotional
Positive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity
Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide
Green
Psychological Association: Balance
Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace
Negative: Boredom, stagnation, blandness, enervation
Violet (Purple)
Psychological Association: Spiritual
Positive: Spiritual awareness, containment, vision, luxury, authenticity, truth, quality.
Negative: Introversion, decadence, suppression, inferiority
Orange
Positive: Physical comfort, food, warmth, security, sensuality, passion, abundance, fun
Negative: Deprivation, frustration, frivolity, immaturity
Pink
Positive: Physical tranquility, nurture, warmth, femininity, love, sexuality, survival of the species
Negative: Inhibition, emotional claustrophobia, emasculation, physical weakness
Grey
Positive: Psychological neutrality
Negative: Lack of confidence, dampness, depression, hibernation, lack of energy
Black
Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance
Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness
White
Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency
Negative: Sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism
Brown
Positive: Seriousness, warmth, Nature, earthiness, reliability, support
Negative: Lack of humour, heaviness, lack of sophistication
iron oxide red
Description: Used for coloring of construction, paints, plastic rubber, printing ink, Porcelain, colour asphaltum, paper dyes, ect.
iron oxide black
Description: Used for coloring of construction, paints, plastic rubber, printing ink, Porcelain, colour asphaltum, paper dyes, ect.
lutein
Description: a xanthophyll and one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Lutein is synthesized only by plants and like other xanthophylls is found in high quantities in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale.
titanium dioxide
Description: also known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula TiO2.
chlorophyllin copper complex potassium salts
Description: Chlorophyll is a natural green pigment which is obtained through extraction and refining processes from natural green plants or silkworm feces .
chlorophyllin copper complex sodium salts
Description: Chlorophyll is a natural green pigment which is obtained through extraction and refining processes from natural green plants or silkworm feces .
tea green pigment
Description: Tea pigment is mainly composed pf the flavin, tea yellow pigment ( TYP) and tea red pigment (TRP) and tea green pigment (TGP).
tea yellow pigment
Description: Tea pigment is mainly composed pf the flavin, tea yellow pigment ( TYP) and tea red pigment (TRP) and tea green pigment (TGP).
erythrosine, erythrosine aluminum lake
Description: an organoiodine compound, specifically a derivative of fluorone. It is cherry-pink synthetic, primarily used for food coloring.
indigotine,indigotine aluminum lake
Description: also known as indigotine or FD&C Blue #2 is a pH indicator with the chemical formula C16H8N2Na2O8S2.
It is approved for use as a food colorant in the United States and the EU and has the E number E132.The primary use of Indigo carmine is as a pH indicator. It is blue at pH 11.4 and yellow at 13.0. Indigo carmine is also a redox indicator, turning yellow upon reduction.
orange yellow
Description: natural pigments as raw material, the use of modern biotechnology to extract from the fruit of the sweet orange.
riboflavin
Description: also known as vitamin B2 is an easily absorbed colored micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins.
black bean red
Description: Dark red purple liquid or paste or powder, easy to absorb moisture.
black currant red
Description: Applied in food field, it is mainly used as food additives for colorant and health care.
carthamins yellow
Description: Yellow Fine Powder; better effects in acid solution, natural yellow colorant.
red rice red
Description: refined from black rice, classed to anthocyanins, it is a pureple liquid or powder than easily dissolves in water and ethanol solution. It has the characters of high solubility and no peculiar smell. Therefore, it is an ideal colorant for wine, beverage, juice, jams, soft drink, etc.
monascus red
Description: a pure natural comestible red pigment which made from raw material excellent rice and good Monascus strains, by fermenting, lixiviating and sponging drying through integrated traditional technology and modern biotechnology.
red kojic red
Description: Widely adopted to color ready-to-serve meat and sausages (e.g. brined pig feet, chichen wings, drumsticks, chicken feet), pickled meat, instant noodles, condiments, puffed food, wines, jelly, pastry, confectionary and fillings of baked food etc.
peanut skin red
turmeric
Description: Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive, indicating how it is used as a food coloring since it normally gives food slightly yellow color) is used to protect food products from sunlight.
monascus red
Description: a pure natural comestible red pigment which made from raw material excellent rice and good Monascus strains, by fermenting, lixiviating and sponging drying through integrated traditional technology and modern biotechnology.
red kojic red
Description: Widely adopted to color ready-to-serve meat and sausages (e.g. brined pig feet, chichen wings, drumsticks, chicken feet), pickled meat, instant noodles, condiments, puffed food, wines, jelly, pastry, confectionary and fillings of baked food etc.
peanut skin red
turmeric
Description: Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive, indicating how it is used as a food coloring since it normally gives food slightly yellow color) is used to protect food products from sunlight.
curcumin
Description: the principal curcuminoid of the popular Indian spice turmeric, which is a member of the ginger family.Curcumin is brightly yellow colored and may be used as a food coloring. As a food additive, its E number is E100.
caramel colour
Description: It is made by heat treatment of carbohydrates, in general in the presence of acids, alkalis, or salts, in a process called caramelization.
rose laevigata michx brown
cocoa husk pigment
Description: used in soft drinks, liqueur, carbonated beverages, candy, pastries color equipment, soy milk beverages, ice cream, cookies and other coloring
quinoline yellow
Description: a yellow food dye with a maximum absorption wavelength of 416 nm, used as a greenish yellow food additive, designated in Europe as the E number E104.
brillant blue,brilliant blue aluminum lake
Description: It can be coloured in Candy, jelly, pastry on CaiZhuang, cake group, steamed buns, such as carbonated drinks , also can be used in cosmetics, and other chemical products for purple to blue colouring.
radish red
Description: Red Radish Color is a dark red powder, which easily soluble in water and ethanol, not soluble in oil. The color changed with the PH value, the color is orange-red when PH is below 5, purple-red when PH is 5-7 and blue when PH is above 7. Acidity condition, the color is stable to heat and light.
basella rubra red
Description: It can be coloured in Candy, jelly, pastry on CaiZhuang, cake group, steamed buns, such as carbonated drinks , also can be used in cosmetics, and other chemical products for purple to red coloring.
roselle red
Description: In food field, can be used as food additives to make tea and produce beverages
tartrazine tartrazine aluminum lake
Description: a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye primarily used as a food coloring. Tartrazine is a commonly used color all over the world, mainly for yellow.
grape skin extract
Description: Grape skin extract is one of the most potent antioxidants found in nature. By nourishing blood vessel walls and performing other renewing functions, helps promote healthy blood pressure levels, heart health, and a proper inflammation response.
sunset yellow,sunset yellow aluminum lake
Description: a synthetic yellow azo dye with a pH dependent maximum absorption between 480 and 500 nm p.463, manufactured from aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum. When added to foods sold in Europe, it is denoted by E Number E110.
mulberry red
Description: water-soluble vacuolar pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue according to pH. They belong to a parent class of molecules called flavonoids synthesized via the phenylpropanoid pathway; they are odorless and nearly flavorless, contributing to taste as a moderately stringent sensation.
hippophae rhamnoides yellow
Description: Carotene and flavonoid flavochrome are the main parts of the hippophac rhamnoides yellow. .It is easily water-soluble and without abnormal taste. It is absolute a natural pigment abstracted from the fruit of Hippophae rhamnoides by modern biotechnology .
carmoisine(azorubine)
Description: a synthetic red food dye from the azo dye group. It usually comes as a disodium salt. It is a red to maroon powder. It is used for the purposes where the food is heat-treated after fermentation.
jujube pigment
Description: An off-red-brown, free flowing powder with a red-brown luster
natural amaranthus red
Description: Reddish-brown or dark brown uniform powder or granules, odorless, light, heat (105 C), citric acid, tartaric acid stability in the lye into a dark red. Soluble in water, showed a redsolution with Blu-ray, can dissolve in glycerine, slightly soluble in ethanol, but insoluble in oil.
allura red
Description: It is used as a food dye and has the E number E129. Allura Red AC was originally introduced in the United States as a replacement for the use of amaranth as a food coloring.
carmine cochineal
Description: With the function of natural food red color colourant, it is widely used in baked food,beverages of fruit vegetable juice(pulp), fruit-flavoured beverages,soda pop,compound seasonings,jam,ice cream, ham, sausage ,chocolate and candy products, it has good coloring effect.
annatto extract
Description: sometimes called roucou or achiote, is derived from the seeds of the achiote trees of tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The seeds are sourced to produce a carotenoid-based yellow to orange food coloring and flavour.
ponceau 4R,ponceau 4R aluminum lake
Description: a synthetic colourant that may be used as a food colouring. It is denoted by E Number E124. Its chemical name is 1-(4-sulpho-1-napthylazo)- 2-napthol- 6,8-disulphonic acid, trisodium salt. Ponceau (French for “poppy-coloured”) is the generic name for a family of azo dyes.
corn yellow
Description: a kind of color natural extracted from corn
cowberry red
Description: Cowberry red mainly contains anthocyanin series pigment like cyanidin -3 – galactoside and cyanidin -3 – Arab candy glucoside etc. Widely used in food, beverage,ice cream and health care products.
spirulina blue(algae blue,lina blue)
Description: Phycocyanin is the main part of the spirulina blue color.It is protein combined pigment,has the same character with protein.We can see blue granule or powder with our naked eyes.It is water-soluble. It is absolute a natural pigment abstracted from the sporus of Spirulina Arthorspira platenis by modern biotechnology.
gardenia yellow
Description: a kind of natural edible pigment extracted from rubiaceous plant gardenia fruit. The main compositions are crocin and cricetin of series of carotinoid pigment.
gardenia blue
Description: Gardenia blue is a kind of dark blue fine powder, it can be easily dissolve in water, ethanol solution and propylene glycol solution, can not dissolve in organic solvent.
vegetable carbon(carbon black)
Description: a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as FCC tar, coal tar, ethylene cracking tar, and a small amount from vegetable oil.
gromwell red
Description: a natural red color refined from high quality gromwell root . The main composition is Acetylshikonin. It can be oleoresin liquid, pasty or powder form, resists heat and stable in light. It has excellent stability in acid and neutral environment. It is widely used in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic industries.
lac dye red(lac red)
Description: Lac Dye Red is a natural food color extracted from the female insect Laccifer lacca which is attach to legume and mulberry plants, by the process of extracting with weak sodium carbonate solution and refining. The main composition is laccaic acid A and laccaic acid B,C,D,E etc.
beet red
Description: a red glycosidic food dye obtained from beets; its aglycone, obtained by hydrolyzing away the glucose molecule, is betanidin. As a food additive, its E number is E162.
natural carotene
Description: used for several related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but cannot be made by animals. Carotene is an orange photosynthetic pigment important for photosynthesis.
lycopene
lycopene
Description: a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, red bell peppers, watermelons, gac, and papayas (but not strawberries or cherries).
Food Colors - Origins and Chemistry
Food colours are divided into 3 main types:
Natural, Nature Identical and Synthetic
Natural Colours
Natural Food Colours are dyes or pigments extracted from natural sources like vegetables, plants and insects. If extracted with care, these Colours can provide versatile colouring application with safe usage in different types of Food Products. Since last 25 years, Tanya has been manufacturing Natural Food Colours made strictly from plants and vegetables which serve the needs of a variety of Food and Beverage Industries. These colours are used to give visual appeal and colour uniformity & consistency to Food and Beverages.These are obtained from natural sources such as grasses, leafy vegetables, fruit skins, roots and seeds of plants. Animals can also be a source of food colourings. Cochineal, or carminic acid, is a red colour that is obtained from the bodies of certain scale insects. These feed off cactus leaves and their bodies are commercially harvested in Africa, Spain and Central America. Their bodies are dried and crushed to extract the red coloring.
Nature Indentical Colours
Obtaining colors from natural sources can be costly and their quality can vary. To overcome this, chemists have found ways to make identical colors in the laboratory. This improves their purity and may also cost less Nature identical colors are exactly the same molecules found in natural sources but they are made synthetically. The main chemical classes are: flavonoids, found in many flowers, fruits and vegetables
indigoid, found in beetroot
carotenoids, found in carrots, tomatoes, oranges and most plants. Carrots contain an orange molecule called beta-carotene which is part of this group. Most natural and nature identical colors can dissolve in oil but do not dissolve in water. This means it is difficult to add them directly to foods. They are usually processed to form their sodium or potassium salt. This makes them soluble in water and suitable for use in foods. They may also be dissolved in oil and incorporated into water-soluble beadlets.
Synthetic Colors
The basic application synthetic food colors or artificial food colors include coloring of food items, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. personal care products, dairy products, confectionary, bakery, sweet meats etc. These food colors are also known as food dyes, food additives, food ingredients, food lake color, blended food color etc. Synthetic food colors are formulated and manufactured in accordance with the International food color quality standards. These are colors that do not occur in nature and have been made in a factory. They have been carefully tested to make sure that they are safe. The main examples of synthetic colours are: azo dyes, such as amaranth (colour for blackurrant jams).
‘other’ dyes, such as, quinoline, (quinoline yellow), xanthene, (erythrosine), triarylmethanes, indigoid, (indigo carmine). Synthetic colors are usually water soluble and can be used in foods without any further processing.
