DYES FOR FOOD USE

The colors are a type of food additive that have the function of conferring or intensifying the color of a product, and the acceptance of a food product by consumers is directly related to its color. Colors can be classified as natural or artificial, which are present in the food of the vast majority of the population. This study aimed to bring information about the main dyes, both natural and artificial, used in the food industry. Commercially, the types of natural dyes most widely used by food industries have been: the extracts of annatto, cochineal carmine, curcumin, anthocyanins and betalains. Among the artificial dyes we can mention tartrazine, twilight yellow, azorrubine, ponceau and erythrosine. Currently there is a trend for the search of natural products, which has also been observed in the sector of dyes, since the natural pigments, in addition to providing color, also bring benefits to consumer health, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.