Natural Food Colors – Choose Wisely

                                 Food coloring has been used since 1500 BC. Candy used natural color additives to make it taste and look good. Food pigmentation gives color to food and drink and until the 19th century saw natural extracts being used for the purpose. Come 20th century artificial food coloring such as Aniline gained popularity. These made the appearance of food appealing and attractive.

The problem

The process of adulteration of foods was predominantly responsible for the extensive usage of food coloring due to a competitive market place and partly due to the lack of administration of such adulteration a lot of which we still see today. Inorganic elements were cheaper and so chemicals such as red lead, vermilion and copper arsenite were used for recoloration purposes. Colors intended for dyeing textiles were also used in food. With the gradual increase in the utilization of color additives, history recorded allergies, deaths and adverse effects of toxicity in these agents. Due to their carcinogenic properties, children developed strange reactions due to coloring in fruit drinks, candies and breakfast cereals. It was then that administrative bodies woke up to impose restrictions on artificial food additives. Going forward artificial food coloring found its link to ADHD and cancer. During the 20th century a whopping 690 artificial colorings had been synthesized and 80 were rampantly available in the market.

The solution

Having understood the side effects of artificial food coloring awareness towards the usage of natural food coloring grew and as a result the health and safety of natural food colors are now being explored. Natural food colors are non-toxic and permitted dyes such as turmeric and saffron have pharmacological effects. Natural dyes are biodegradable and are harmonized with nature. Growing consumer concerns lead to the manufacture of natural food and beverage colors in their highly purified form.

Bio Actives, Japan uses a combination of expertise and technology to manufacture some of the most intense food colors customized to client requirements. Embarking on the mission of producing consistent, high-quality, safe and effective natural color solutions, the company produces around 17 different pigmentations from natural agents such as turmeric, marigold, annatto, algae, carrot, carmine, paprika, beet root, red cabbage, alfalfa, spinach and cane sugar. The colors can be safely used in beverage, confectionary, dairy, bakery, pet foods and snacks. The company adopts stringent collection, creation and conformation methodologies in their manufacturing facility. The creative department responsible for actual production of the products adopt streamlined standard operating procedures under sterile conditions.

Bio Actives, Japan manufactures a variety of nutritional ingredients, natural flavours and colors.