Natural and Artificial Flavoring Agents and Food Dyes

Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Alina Maria Holban

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780128112687
• eBook ISBN: 9780128112694
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Food Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Natural and Artificial Flavoring Agents and Dyes, Volume 7 in the Handbook of Food Bioengineering series, examines the use of natural vs. artificial food dyes and flavors, highlighting some of the newest production and purification methods. This solid resource explores the most recent trends and benefits of using natural agents over artificial in the production of foods and beverages. Using the newest technologies and evidence-based research methods, the book demonstrates how natural flavoring agents and dyes can be produced by plants, microorganisms and animals to produce higher quality foods that are more economical and safe to the consumer. - Explores the most common natural compounds and how to utilize them with cutting edge technologies - Includes information on the purification and production processes under various conditions - Presents the latest research to show benefits of using natural additives

Chapter 1

Flavoring and Coloring Agents: Health Risks and Potential Problems

Muthusamy Ramesh^*,**

Arunachalam Muthuraman^**,†
* University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, Durban, South Africa
^** Akal College of Pharmacy and Technical Education, Sangrur, Punjab, India
^† JSS University, Mysore, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Food safety is the major concern for human life. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved over 3000 ingredients as safe food additives to preserve, color, flavor, or thicken food items. Many of these ingredients are restricted due to the observation of unexpected adverse effects. In some cases, adulteration of food and additives causes potential health risks, such as learning disabilities, hyperkinesis, kidney damage, tumors, skin rashes, migraine, asthma, sleep disturbance, and gastric upset. Modern food products often include several flavoring and coloring agents from natural or artificial sources. The consumption of these agents is also increased in recent days due to lack of health awareness. The purpose of this chapter is to create awareness of the health risks due to the presence of flavoring agents and dyes in food-related products. Knowledge of these food additives may help manufacturing industries to develop standard foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic preparations.

Keywords

dyes

flavoring agents

food safety

health risks

therapeutic application

toxicity

1. Introduction

1.1. Flavor and Coloring Agents

Flavoring and coloring agents originate from plant or animal or synthetic sources. These agents are additives and have been used in foods, drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, home craft projects, educational settings, and so forth (Kapadia et al., 1998; Lindsay, 1996). These additives may promote the commercial production, as well as domestic preparations. Flavors may give a particular taste or smell to the products whereas colorants impart color to the final products. Advancements in the food agent technologies help manufacturing industries to formulate attractive food preparations (Zuidam and Nedovic, 2010). Flavoring and coloring agents provide external flavor and colors either alone or in combination with other ingredients through the process of chemical reactions. These agents are either derived directly from natural sources or created artificially through synthetic procedures. Sometimes, the ingredients found in nature can be synthesized artificially in the laboratory and produced more economically, with greater purity and better quality than their natural counterparts, for example, vitamin C or ascorbic acid (Delgado-Vargas and Paredes-Lopez, 2003).

Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and is an important metabolite in all living organisms (Genevois et al., 2014). It is an ingredient of natural sources, abundant in citrus fruits, orange, berries, and so forth. However, ascorbic acid can be produced in a chemical laboratory through the synthetic method. In food products, ascorbic acid is used to add additional flavor and color to the final products. The red color of cured meat is retained by applying ascorbic acid. It also enhances the vitamin content and maintains the flavor, as well as color by reacting with unwanted oxygen. In addition, ascorbic acid prevents the formation of nitrosamines, a causative agent for cancer (White, 1975).

1.2. Flavors and Colors: A Recent Consequence

The use of flavoring and coloring in food products has been steadily increased in the past decade. In daily life, food...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Foreword
• Series Preface
• Preface for Volume 7: Natural and Artificial Flavoring Agents and Food Dyes
• Chapter 1: Flavoring and Coloring Agents: Health Risks and Potential Problems
• Chapter 2: Drying Process of Food: Fundamental Aspects and Mathematical Modeling
• Chapter 3: Comparative Study of Natural and Artificial Flavoring Agents and Dyes
• Chapter 4: Microbial Pigments From Bacteria, Yeasts, Fungi, and Microalgae for the Food and Feed Industries
• Chapter 5: Binding of Food Colorants to Functional Protein Hemoglobin
• Chapter 6: Nonconventional Yeast-Promoted Biotransformation for the Production of Flavor Compounds
• Chapter 7: Fruits: A Source of Polyphenols and Health Benefits
• Chapter 8: LC–MS/MS Approach for the Identification of Unknown Degradation Products of Dyes in Beverages
• Chapter 9: Computer-Aided Drug Design Studies in Food Chemistry
• Chapter 10: Turmeric: A Review of Its Chemical Composition, Quality Control, Bioactivity, and Pharmaceutical Application
• Chapter 11: A Review of the Botany, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Properties of Galangal
• Chapter 12: Coffee Beverages and Their Aroma Compounds
• Chapter 13: Lycopene: A Natural Red Pigment
• Chapter 14: Microencapsulation of Color and Flavor in Confectionery Products
• Chapter 15: Advanced Natural Food Colorant Encapsulation Methods: Anthocyanin Plant Pigment
• Index