Saying that Xiao Ming went to the supermarket, okay, Xiao Ming was shot again. Why do you always say Xiao Ming? Just like Guo Degang’s teacher said, “Don’t say Yu Qian, can you say you!” Ok, don’t go wrong, let’s continue to say Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming arrived at the supermarket and was quickly attracted by the colorful candy on the shelves. So I picked up a few bags and looked at it. When I saw the ingredients on the food label, I couldn’t help but be surprised. What lemon yellow, carmine, bright blue, etc. The color of these candy is dyed with pigment, can you eat?

Food coloring ≠ illegal additive

Good food is about color and flavor. Color is a very important factor in the quality of food. Isn't Xiaoming attracted by the color of the candy? In order to better improve the color of food, food companies usually add food coloring, a kind of food additive, also called coloring agent, in the processing of food.

Let us first solve the problem that Xiao Ming is most concerned about: Is food coloring harmful to the human body? Sun Baoguo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, once said that “food additives are safe and reliable to be used within the limits of laws and regulations. It is also necessary; melamine, Sudan red, and white blocks are illegal additives, not food additives. Food additives should not be used as a black pot for them."

This sentence tells us not to confuse food additives and illegal additives. Illegal additives are absolutely not allowed to be used in foods, and food additives are necessary to use them in a safe range. Food coloring is no exception.

The state has clearly defined the principles of use of food coloring, the types of products allowed, the scope of use, and the limits or amounts of residues used, and have made a strict safety evaluation of food coloring. Therefore, for the food coloring that appears on the food label, the standard use will not cause harm to the human body.

Synthetic pigment is not terrible, in line with the national standard can be safe to eat

Food coloring is divided into two categories: synthetic food coloring and natural food coloring.

Synthetic food coloring refers to an organic coloring matter prepared by an artificial chemical synthesis method. There are 11 kinds of synthetic food coloring substances listed in China's National Food Safety Standards for Food Additives (GB 2760-2014): Carmine and its aluminum lake, amaranth and its aluminum lake, sunset yellow and its aluminum color. Precipitate, red sapphire and its aluminum lake, lemon yellow and its aluminum lake, new red and its aluminum lake, indigo and its aluminum lake, bright blue and its aluminum lake, temptation red and its aluminum lake, Quinoline yellow, acid red.

If long-term, excessive intake of synthetic food coloring, there will be cancer, teratogenic and other risks. Therefore, all countries have strict limits on their scope of use and usage. For example, quinoline yellow is only allowed to be added to the prepared wine in China, and the maximum usage is 0.1g/L.

However, some food producers who are eager to abuse will abuse synthetic food coloring and even use industrial dyes instead of food coloring, which seriously endangers the health of consumers. Therefore, everyone must buy food produced by regular manufacturers and refuse to "cottage goods."

Some natural pigments can fight cancer and anti-oxidation

Natural food colorings are mostly extracted from natural coloring plants, such as chlorophyll; also produced from animals, such as shellac pigments; and also prepared by culturing microorganisms, such as monascus pigment.

Some pigments in natural food coloring have physiological functions such as anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, immunity enhancement, blood fat reduction, and blood pressure lowering. These natural pigments are also called food functional pigments, mainly derived from plants, algae and some bacteria. , fungus. Common functional pigments in foods include lycopene, β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, capsanthin, astaxanthin, and curcumin.

Natural pigments themselves limit their application

Seeing this, Xiao Ming couldn't help but widen his eyes. "Since there are such good functional pigments, why use synthetic pigments? How good is it to use functional pigments in food!"

There are three reasons for this problem to limit the application of functional pigments.

First, the technique of extracting and removing functional pigments is complicated and costly, and synthetic pigments can be synthesized only according to specific chemical reaction pathways.

Secondly, due to the particularity of its structure, functional pigments are sensitive to light, heat, oxygen, pH, temperature, metal ions and other processing conditions, and are unstable.

Finally, large multifunctional pigments are fat-soluble, poorly water-soluble, and the human body is a water environment, so it is difficult to be absorbed.

Xiao Ming’s problem has come again. Is there a good solution? It’s a pity that such a good resource is wasted!

At present, the existing technology can make functional pigments into emulsions, and through special treatment, increase their water solubility and stability. Industry insiders told You Junjun that “food functional pigments have broad application prospects in food processing. However, the stabilization of functional pigments requires further research and development.”