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Food Coloring Components

The addition of food coloring to both commercially- and hand-produced food items has greatly increased in recent years. This is due to advances in chemistry that result in the production of inexpensive, safe and brightly-toned dyes that color food to make it look more appealing to consumers. The exact components of a food coloring depends on its color and how it was made.

  1. Natural Food Colors

    • Natural food colors are those made with ingredients that come from a plant, animal or mineral. Natural food colors have application in the food, drug and cosmetic industry. Some sources of natural food colors include beets and algae. Even animals can be used as sources. An example is the common food coloring carmine, a vibrant coral color, derived from the dead bodies and eggs of the insect Dactylpius coccus from South America.

    Lake Food Colors

    • Lake food colors are commonly used by both the food and pharmaceutical companies. Lake dyes are soluble in fats and oils and insoluble in water. Typical applications of lake food colors include the coated tablets of pharmaceutical pills, cake and donut mixes, chewing gum and hard candies.

    Synthetic Food Colors

    • Synthetic food colors are those produced in a laboratory. Ingredients include propylparaben and propylene glycol. Propylparaben, added as a preservative and an inhibitor of mold and fungus growth, is approved for use by the FDA, but does have a health hazard rating of 2, meaning it has a moderate danger to human life. Propylene glycol is added to stabilize the ingredients of a synthetic food coloring, but also has a health hazard rating of 2 and is known to cause irritation to the skin and eyes.

    Food Drugs and Cosmetic Dyes

    • The abbreviation for these dyes are often listed as FD&C followed by the specific name of the color. Examples include FD&C Blue No. 2 and FD&C Red No. 40. These dyes are water soluble and are manufactured as powders, granules and liquids. Food, drug and cosmetic dyes are used in a wide range of products by food and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

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