E131 - The Colorant Chameleon In Food

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Colors are if not the most common, then at least the most visible artificial food additives - literally! Every pleasant, alluring color of soft drink, pastry, jelly candies and even sausages is due to synthetic dye. In the food industry, this group of additives is denoted by a capital E and the first digit 1, and behind each E1 is a specific chemical.

He is definitely among the most intriguing in the group E131 -

the colorant that changes color

No, E131-colored products do not change color like a chameleon - although the industry is probably already working on it. It's just that the substance has the unique ability to color in two completely different colors - deep blue and yellow-orange. The secret? E131 manifests itself differently depending on the pH of the medium in which it is administered. The yellow-orange color is obtained in acidic, and deep blue - in alkaline environment.

The blue color of E131 is actually so characteristic that it gave the name by which the substance appears in registers and documents - sulfone blue or patented blue V (Roman five). However, at least half of the products colored with sulfone blue are orange.

After such a business card is hardly a huge surprise the fact that the safety of E131 as food additive is a controversial and open question. The substance can be used freely in the European Union, but its use in the food industry is banned in the United States and Australia. The reason: suspicions that

in high doses, sulfone blue acts as a strong allergen

The use of foods colored with E131, is associated with a risk of allergic reaction with rash, itching and nausea. In people with higher allergic sensitivity, as well as in children, the patented blue V can even cause anaphylactic shock.

In high doses, the dye chameleon can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure, so it is good to avoid products containing it and people with problem blood. And the products in which E131 is used are not insignificant - because of its ability to give a highly saturated color even in low concentrations, sulfone blue (also in its orange version) is a preferred colorant in the food industry.

As a result E131 It is present in almost all drinks, cakes, candies, creams and everything in the respective two colors - at least where its use is allowed. Although the applicability of the substance in food products is still controversial, experts consider it reasonable to avoid products containing the patented blue - especially by children, because of its unclear long-term health effects.

Outside the food industry, the dye is used in medicine and dentistry - to visualize blood vessels in specific tests and to stain dental plaque for complete removal.