Food additives can be natural or artificial. Natural food additives are extracted from fruits, plants, etc., for example, beetroot powder which is used to as coloring agent, whereas artificial food additives are made synthetically, for example, vanillin which is used as flavoring agent in desserts [20].
With time, the lifestyles of people are changing, and nowadays, most people depend on factory made food also known as processed food rather than using homemade food, for example, people prefer packed dairy products like paneer instead of making at home on their own. So, machine made food should have appropriate taste, appearance, texture, and its safety. Processed food should remain safe for longer time after it has been made.
The important functions of food additives are as follows:
• to prevent food from spoiling, for example, adding preservatives to food;
• to give texture and consistency, for example, gelling and emulsifiers;
• to improve flavors, taste, for example, adding flavoring agents to food;
• to enhance the nutritional values, for example, sweeteners;
• to make food attractive and appealing;
• to garnish food;
• to expand affordability and convenience;
• to maintain the freshness of food.
1.4.2 Synthetic Colorants
Synthetic colorants are the colorants which are not found in nature due to their chemical structure and obtained by chemical synthesis. In 1856, William Henry Perkin discovered the first synthetic organic color which is purplish lilac color obtained from coaltar. Synthetic food colorants have their high coloring ability, various color tone, homogeneous color distribution, brightness, stability, and ease of application [19, 26].
Synthetic are divided into three groups according to their solubility:
➢ Water soluble synthetic colors
➢ Fat soluble synthetic colors
➢ Lake colors
1.4.2.1 Water Soluble Synthetic Colors
Allura Red AC: This synthetic colorant, generally known to be derived from insects, is actually produced from coal tar. Allura Red AC is used in the production of food like carbonated drinks, gums, snacks, sauces, soups, wine, and especially apple wine [27].
Sunset Yellow: It is orange red color, and it is usually used for food such as bread, drinks, cereals, sweet powders, ice cream, and snacks.
Brilliant Blue FCF and Brilliant Black BN: Available in blue and black colors, it exists in powder and granular form. It is easily soluble in water while being less soluble in ethanol. Brilliant black is used in the production of various cheese, wine, sauce, and beverages.
Tartrazine: Tartrazine is used to obtain lemon yellow color and is added to food products such as bread, beverages, cereals, peanuts, confectionery, cream, ice cream, and canned food.
Erythosine: Being a xanthen-class colorant in the structure of benzoate, erythosine exists the form of red powder or granules. It is added to flavored milk and puddings, ice products, chewing gum and candies, jelly and drink powders [29, 30].
Quinoline Yellow: Quinoline yellow is a synthetic substance used to obtain a greenish yellow color. It is used in soft drinks, jams and canned foods, edible ice, sweets, candies, pickles, sauces, and spices [28].
Brown FK and Brown HT: Brown FK is used in smoked and cured fish, meat, and chips, while Brown HT is used in various biscuits, chocolates, and cakes.
Other water soluble synthetic colorants are Green S, Indigotine, Patent Blue V, Litolurubin BK, Red 2G, Ponso 4R, and Azorubin.
1.4.2.2 Fat Soluble Synthetic Colorants
Artificial colorants soluble in oil or organic solvents are insoluble in water as they do not contain groups capable of forming salt form as in water-soluble colorants. This group of colorants are not allowed to be used for food coloring because of their toxic properties. For example, the use of oil-soluble Penso SX for the coloring of butter and margarine was banned in 1976. Oil Red XO, Yellow AB used in the coloring of orange peels and Yellow OB are not allowed to use because of their toxic properties [31–34].
1.4.2.3 Lake Colorants
Lake colorants are water-insoluble precipitation of aluminum hydrate substrate and are produced in the form of very fine powders. The dye content and particle size determine the color tone of the powder. As they are not soluble in water, oil, and other solvents, they are dispersed in food and produce color. They are used in cakes, biscuit fillings, confectionery, powder drinks, sweets, soups, and spice mixtures [36–38].
1.4.2.3.1 How to Minimize the Health Risk of Food Additives Consumption?
As we all know, food additives cause harmful health effects [39–44]. So, we should try to take precautions before consuming them. Some measures are as follows:
➢ The food containing danger preservatives and additives should be avoided to minimize the risks related to health.
➢ We should check the ingredients of packed food before purchasing them from markets.
➢ We should
