FOOD SCIENCE ›› 2012, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (23): 399-404.

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Characteristics, Application, Safety Evaluation and Safety Control of Natural Food Pigments

  

  • Received:2012-07-16 Revised:2012-11-26 Online:2012-12-15 Published:2012-12-12
  • Supported by:

    Funding Project for Academic Human Resources Development in Institutions of Higher Learning Under the Jurisdiction of Beijing Municipality

Abstract: Natural food pigments have been widely used in the food industry due to their unique benefits such as high safety, low negative effects and multiple health benefits compared with synthetic food pigments. However, with development of natural food pigments, the safety of natural pigments used in foods has gained extensive attention. There are still many safety risks in natural food pigments during their development, processing and application. This article summarizes the classification, major characteristics, application and safety evaluation as well as safety control of natural food pigments, which will be benefit for reducing the immediate and cumulative safety risks of natural food pigments to the minimal level. A series of natural food pigment safety evaluation methods including toxicology test, toxic trace element test and hygiene test of natural food pigments in a more reliable and consistent manner have been discussed.

Key words: natural food pigment, major characteristics, application, safety evaluation, risk evaluation

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