Regulation (EU) No 1333/2008 and its amendments provide a list of food colourings authorised for use in certain foodstuffs. Any colouring not included in this list is prohibited.
Food colourings
Food colourings: ensuring quality and product compliance
The most commonly used additives in the food industry are: antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, preservatives, sweeteners and colourings. They are added during manufacturing for their technological or organoleptic properties. Food colourings are added to foods to compensate for colour loss, enhance natural colours, or artificially colour a food or ingredient.
CONTROL PLAN
Our expertise in food colouring analysis
Phytocontrol has developed innovative multi-colourant analysis methods under accreditation using LC-MS/MS and LC-DAD, enabling the detection of 14 authorised colourings and 20 prohibited colourings in spices, condiments, sauces and compound foods.
Among the prohibited colourings screened for, you will find the various SUDAN dyes, ORANGE II and RHODAMINE B, which are frequently the subject of European alerts.
Turmeric and curcuminoids
Curcumin is the main active compound extracted from turmeric. Together with two other compounds, it makes up the curcuminoid family. Turmeric comes in the form of a yellow-orange powder. Thanks to its colouring and flavouring properties, curcumin can be found in dairy products, meat products, fishery products, tea, beverages, spice blends and condiments, among others. As an additive, curcumin is designated E100.
According to the USP Pharmacopoeia, turmeric contains 3% curcuminoids and turmeric powder extract contains 20%.
Phytocontrol laboratory is able to analyse and quantify, under accreditation, turmeric and curcuminoids present in various human food products by LC-MS/MS.
QUALITY
Our accreditations
Phytocontrol is accredited by COFRAC for food colouring analysis.
Testimonial
Spices: risk of unauthorised colouring addition. How do we help Adina, Quality Manager at a company specialising in spices?
The quality of our spices is at the heart of our commitment. Turmeric can be exposed to fraudulent practices, particularly the addition of prohibited colourings to enhance its colour. We needed a laboratory capable of reliably detecting these substances and supporting us in our controls. Our collaboration with Phytocontrol allows us to validate the compliance of our batches and guarantee our customers authentic and safe products.
Beyond analysis
Our training courses
Recommended training courses
Discover our training courses
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Contaminant analysis
Master chemical contaminants and their impact on product safety.
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Allergen analysis
Master the risks related to food allergens.
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SECTORS
Products affected by food colourings
Phytocontrol supports food industry professionals in managing the risks related to food colourings, ensuring regulatory compliance, product authenticity and consumer safety.
