China Consumer Daily reported (reporter Jia Jun) that the "Three Character Classic" said: Green, red and yellow, and black and white, these five colors, the eyes can see. Different foods have certain color characteristics, and the color and color of food not only reflect its freshness, but also affect the psychology of eaters, which is an important quality indicator of food. In the process of food processing and storage, endogenous natural pigments will be transformed and decomposed, resulting in changes in food color, so that food quality can not meet consumer expectations, and even cause misjudgment.
In order to help consumers understand food coloring, the relevant experts of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology specially made the following consumption tips to consumers.
First, food coloring, a long history
In China, red yeast rice has more than 1,000 years of production and use history, red yeast extracted from red yeast, is a natural food coloring; Sodium nitrite used in folk homemade bacon, which dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty, more than 800 years ago, has become an important color protector in modern meat processing. Abroad, tombstones unearthed in Egypt more than 1500 BC also have records of artificially colored candy.
Second, there are many types of food coloring
Food coloring, also known as colorants, is a substance that gives and improves the color of food, and belongs to food additives. Different colorants of the same color class have different coloring ability, hue and stability, and the coloring effect of other color colorants is also different, so in order to meet different needs, there are also many kinds of color colorants. At present, there are more than 60 kinds of edible colorants commonly used in the world, which can be divided into two categories: edible natural colorants and edible synthetic colorants according to their source and nature. (1) Consume natural colorants
Mainly from natural pigments, according to their different sources are mainly divided into three kinds: plant pigments such as pepper red, turmeric, natural carotene, etc., animal pigments such as lac red, carmine red, etc., microorganisms such as red yeast red and so on. (2) Consumption of synthetic colorants
According to its chemical structure, it is divided into two types: azo pigments such as amaranth red, carmine, sunset yellow, lemon yellow, etc., and non-azo pigments such as erythrosite red, bright blue and so on.
Third, the state has management, and it can be eaten with confidence
Whether it is the consumption of natural colorants or the consumption of synthetic colorants, the state must conduct a strict risk assessment of its safety, and only through risk assessment and approval can it be used as an edible colorant. The National Standard for Food Safety And the Standard for the Use of Food Additives (GB2760-2014) clearly stipulates the scope of use of edible colorants and the limits or residues of use. The relevant state departments also supervise the production and use of edible colorants. Therefore, as long as it is used in accordance with national regulations, it is safe.