History
Humans have been using color additives for a very long time. Archaeologists
have dated some cosmetic colors as far back as 5000 B.C. They have also found
Ancient Egyptian writings that tell about drug colorings. Historians say that
food colors have been around since 1500 B.C.
Originally, food producers used colored dyes to hide poor quality products or spoiled products. Though typically the colors came from nature, as the 20th century approached, scientists came up with ways of creating different colors in the lab. Some of these new colors were dangerous to the public's health.
In the 1800's, toxic chemicals and metal-based compounds were used to make some color dyes. Arsenic and similar poisons were used to color hard candies and pickles. There are records of injuries and deaths because of these colors.
Over time, more than 80 different artificial colors have been used in common foods such as jellies, wine, candies, mustard, and ketchup. Some of these colors were intended for use in the textile industry, not the food industry.
In 1906, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act which created the F.D.A., the Food and Drug Administration. This was the beginning of several laws that allowed the government to control the use of food and color additives. In 1938, the government passed an act that also allowed them to control the colors used in cosmetics. This included the following new designations that consumers can still see on package labels: FD&C (colors allowed to be used in food, drugs and cosmetics), D&C (colors to be used in drugs and cosmetics), and Ext. D&C (colors only to be used only in external-use drugs and cosmetics).
In the years after 1938, regulations were created that gave color dyes numbers to separate them and make it easier to tell which colors are used in food, drugs, cosmetics and textiles. Only F.D.A. certified colors have these numbers.
In 1960, the law created in 1938 was changed to broaden the government's control of not just which colors were used, but also how much of each color could to be used.
As of now there are only seven dyes that have been approved by the F.D.A. for
safe use in food, drugs and cosmetics. These are known as the FD&C dyes.
These dyes are yellows #5 and #6, reds #3 and #40, blues #1 and #2, and green
#3. The most popular of these dyes is Red #40. The second most popular is Yellow
#5. The table on the next page summarizes the seven FD & C dyes.
|
Dye # |
Dye Name |
Color |
Where it is Found |
Side Effects |
Yellow #5 |
Tartrazine |
Lemon Yellow |
candy, beverages, cereals, ice cream |
This dye is known to cause allergic reactions in some people. It causes hives in fewer than one out of 10,000 people |
Yellow #6 |
Sunset Yellow |
Orange |
snack foods, desserts, powders, cereals |
none known |
Red #3 |
Erythrosine |
Cherry-red |
Cherries in fruit cocktail and canned fruits |
The lake form of this dye has been known to cause tumors in rats. The risk of cancer in humans is about 1 in 100,000 over a 70 year lifetime. |
Red #40 |
Allura Red AC |
Orange -red |
Gelatins, puddings, condiments, dairy products |
none known |
Blue #1 |
Brilliant Blue FCF |
Bright blue |
jellies, icings, beverages, dairy products syrups |
none known |
Blue #2 |
Indigotine |
Royal Blue |
ice cream, cherries, cereals, baked goods |
none known |
Green #3 |
Fast Green FCF |
Sea Green |
ice cream, sherbet, beverages, puddings |
none known |
Lakes- These are a form of the certifiable colors that are water-insoluble. These forms are more stable than the straight dyes and are ideal for products where the makers do not want the color to bleed. Such products are hard candies and coated tablets.
Straight Dyes- These are a form of the certifiable colors
that dissolve in water. They are manufactured as powders, granules, liquids, or
other forms. These dyes are used in baked goods and beverages.
Project researched and
documented by Ann VanBlaricum
Disclaimer: These pages were written in 1997 while the author was a sophomore in high school taking AP Chemistry. Hence, the author is not an expert on this subject, she cannot vouch for the accuracy or currency of these data or the links.