Synthetic vs Natural Food Colours: All you need to know!

Presentation is the key in the food industry. The use of vibrant colours enhances your dining experience. Food colours play a crucial role in creating an appealing and appetizing table. But which food colour should you use in your daily cooking? Is natural colouring the preferred choice, or is synthetic colour ideal? Let us explore the truth about food colours and their applications.

Natural food colours are, as the name suggests, plant-based and have been used in food and beverages for ages. The extraction process is simple, involving crushing, boiling, or juicing the ingredients to obtain the pigments. Saujanya Exports is one of India’s leading manufacturers of inorganic pigment powder. Some natural food colour derivatives include beetroot, turmeric, anthocyanins of berries, spinach, etc.

Natural food colours are subject to less strict regulatory compliance as they have to meet specific safety and approval processes. The labelling process can be inconsistent as safety standards across countries vary. The toxicity testing is not stringent, as natural colours are considered safe.

Synthetic food colour, on the other hand, is created in the laboratory using chemicals. These colours are vibrant and stable compared to natural colours and are also used primarily in the food industry. They are available in liquid, powder, or gel form and can be crafted in shades. Tartrazine, Carmoisine, and brilliant blue FCF are popular numerical colour codes. Synthetic acid dye manufacturers are in great demand in the textile, leather, wool coating, printing, and ink industries.

Synthetic food colours undergo strict regulatory tests and need complete approval before they are marketed. The FDA calls for premarket approval for synthetic colour additives. Moreover, the chemical compounds undergo extensive safety testing and evaluation. It is mandatory that the additives are declared on the label for transparency. Since synthetic colours can be harmful, a high level of scrutiny is exercised to minimise health hazards.

As a leading synthetic food colour manufacturer, Saujanya Exports manufactures high-purity water-soluble and lake colours, which it supplies to food, beverages, confectionery, and pharmaceutical companies. These colours are available in micro-fine powders or dust-free granules.

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