Food coloring Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food coloring - Research Paper Example Food colours can either be obtained naturally or manufactured synthetically. Most colours are obtained from plant pigments. These pigments could either come from vegetable or fruits. Obtaining natural colours is sometimes costly. Chemists make identical colours improve purity. Molecules of these manufactured colours are the same molecules from the natural source. Since most natural colours cannot dissolve in water, they are processed as salts to make them soluble in water. Some of the synthetic colour examples are; blackcurrant jams made from azo dyes quinoline and xanthenes. Aramnath an example of synthetic food colour Carmine used in yoghurts is obtained from insects that produce carmanic acid. Dried insects are boiled in water to extract this acid. The structure of a carminic acid that is extracted from the cochineal insect is shown below. Other chemical formulas of commonly use food colours include; Allura red (C18H14N2Na208S2), Tartrazine (C16H9N4Na309S2) and Brilliant blue (C37H34N2Na209S3). any people relate a food colour to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).Tartrazine is associated with hypersensitive reactions to children. Chemists turned attention to synthetic colours since natural colour were found to be having traces of mercury toxics. According to America’s research, synthetic food colours have adversely been found to be affecting small children behaviour. Food colours that are deemed synthetic are sometimes mixtures of chemicals from laboratories and combinations of other petro chemicals.