Natural colorants
- Most natural colorants are extracts derived from plant tissues.
- The disadvantage of using natural colourants are
- colour intensities not consistent,
- not stable (colour may change when exposed to light and heat,)
- may react with food.
- may have unwanted flavours and odours.
- Supply can be instable
Synthetic Colorants (Dye)
- Most of the synthetic colourants are complex chemical compounds sthat synthesized from petroleum.
- Examples of syhthetic colourants are azo compound and triphenyl.
- Azo compound colourants normally are yellow, red, brown and white in colour.
- Triphenyl compound colourants are green, blue or purple in colour.
Side effects
Many of the artificial food colorings cause reactions in sensitive individuals ranging from hyperactivity to depression to asthma-like symptoms.