Colorants
Pages 23-32
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/1891127004.004
ISBN: 1-891127-00-4
Abstract
Topics Covered
- Testing for Toxicity
- Acceptable Daily Intake
- European Union
- United States
- Food Laws
- Delaney Clause
- Sources of Information
Introduction to Chapter
The development of the regulatory aspects of food colorants is one small portion of the much bigger picture of regulation of food additives and food quality in general. One of the driving forces for food regulation down through the years has been food safety. This aspect was brought to public attention, sometimes in rather stormy fashion, by books such as The Jungle by Upton Sinclair in 1906 and more recently by the media. Public laws to minimize obviously unpalatable practices concerned with food sources, processing, handling, ingredients, etc., date back only about 150 years. Much of the criticism has been directed toward the artificial colorants and very little toward the naturally occurring colorants. Perhaps this is partially due to the naive belief that humans have somehow become conditioned to tolerate certain compounds after a long history of use. It is unlikely that 5,000 years is enough to create significant genetic changes in humans. It is true, however, that history has allowed us to identify acute hazards and eliminate them from our diet. Long-term or lifetime exposures are another story. Regardless, much of the regulatory activity has centered around food safety.
