A week after Halloween, there’s probably still an abundance of candy at home. With their bright and inviting colors, most candies contain synthetic dyes. A great opportunity to take stock of the world of dyes.
Food additives are chemical substances added to foods to preserve them, maintain their nutritional value, improve their appearance, or change their texture.
Many food additives are approved in Canada, including several food colors.
Several factors such as processing and storage can change the color of food and make it less attractive to consumers.
Natural and synthetic
Colorants are additives that are used to improve the appearance of food and make it more appetizing. They can be natural or synthetic.
Natural dyes generally come from minerals, plants or insects.
Natural dyes approved in Canada include charcoal, chlorophyll, turmeric, cochineal, paprika and saffron.
Synthetic dyes are produced through chemical processes. They are cheaper and more stable (e.g. more temperature, light and acid stable) than natural dyes.
From a health perspective, it is synthetic dyes that are of concern to some consumers and scientists.
Some of the synthetic dyes approved in Canada include brilliant blue FCF, sunny yellow FCF, indigotine, allura red, full green FCF and tartrazine.
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Advantage
- Colors help sell by improving the appearance of food.
Disadvantages
- Dyes have a purely aesthetic function. They do not contribute to preservation, do not add nutritional value and do not alter the texture or taste of the foods to which they are added.
- Some dyes raise concerns about their potential adverse health effects;
- The possible effects of dyes on the environment (e.g. fauna, flora) are unknown.
Dyes and health
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1. Hyperactivity in children
Studies suggest that certain dyes may have an impact on hyperactivity or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
According to a study funded by the Food Standards Agency, a non-departmental government department of the United Kingdom government, the six food colorings most closely linked to hyperactivity in children are: tartrazine, quinoline yellow, sunshine yellow FCF, carmoisine, passage 4R and allura red. These dyes are mainly used in drinks, sweets, cakes and ice cream. Some evidence suggests that avoiding these six food dyes may be beneficial.
2. Cancer
Certain dyes, such as titanium dioxide and Citrine Red No. 2, are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
Agents are classified in Group 2B if:
– Limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in laboratory animals OR;
– Insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in laboratory animals OR;
– In certain cases when there is insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but limited evidence of carcinogenicity in laboratory animals together with evidence from other relevant data.
Certain dyes approved in Canada are banned in the European Union (EU), such as:
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1. Titanium dioxide (E 171)
In Canada, this dye may be used in limited quantities in foods such as chewing gum (1.25%), certain alcoholic beverages (0.5%), gelatin-based desserts (0.15%) and chocolate morsels (0.15%).
Titanium dioxide has been banned in the EU since January 2022, after a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority concluded that titanium dioxide could no longer be considered a safe food additive. This dye was also classified in Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2010.
2. Apo-8′-carotenate ethyl ester (E 160f)
In Canada, this dye is allowed in limited amounts (35 ppm) in foods such as butter, jam, milk, margarine, bread, smoked fish, powdered sugar and cream cheese.
3. FCF green (E 143)
In Canada, this colorant is allowed in limited amounts (100 ppm) in foods such as butter, jam, pickles, fruit jelly, milk, bread, smoked fish and powdered sugar. It has been classified by the IARC in Group 3 (unclassifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans) since 1987.
4. Citrine Red No. 2 (E 121)
In Canada, this coloring is only permitted on the peel of whole oranges (2 ppm). It has been classified in Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) by the IARC since 1987.
5. Passage SX (E 125)
In Canada, this dye can be used in limited quantities (150 ppm) on fruit peels, candied cherries, candied fruits and marasques (a variety of tart cherries). It has been classified by the IARC in Group 3 (unclassifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans) since 1987.
How to Identify Food Coloring at the Grocery Store
In Canada, food and drug regulations require food additives to be identified by their acceptable common name (e.g., Allura Red) in the ingredients list of prepackaged foods.
However, they can appear at the end of the ingredients list in any order.
The term “coloring” may not be used in the ingredient list to indicate the presence of one or more food colorings.
Diploma
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Colors provide no benefit other than improving the appearance of food. Additionally, they could pose some health risks. Especially with children who particularly appreciate colorful candies and colorful drinks.
Why do some dyes not meet European Union safety requirements but are accepted here in Canada? A question that gives cause for concern. One thing is for sure: it’s easy to spot dyes in ingredient lists and therefore avoid them. It is up to the consumer to make the choice and accept that the appearance is not that attractive. Are you willing to make this compromise?
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