Natural and synthetic colours in food. Impact on consumer health.

Abstract

The colour of food is one of the leading organoleptic characteristics. It is one of the determining factors in the choice of food by consumers. The addition of colours to food is intended both at preserving the natural colour, which is lost in processing, and to restore uniformity of colour in the product. The addition of colours to food is permitted in the European Union (EU), but only with approved food colours. Legislation in this area regulates food additives, including colours, their use and the permitted amount of their incorporation into food. Food colours can be natural (derived from plants or animals) and artificial/synthetic (obtained artificially). The use of synthetic colours is associated with a number of adverse effects for the consumer’s health, but no harm for the corresponding colour has been fully proven yet. Very often in production artificial colours are preferred, due to their lower cost in comparison to natural ones, as well as their light resistance. In order to understand more about food additives and in particular colours, this review provides information found in scientific literature on food colours permitted at European level, their use and side effects on human health.