Colouring food, many shades away from the pink of health

Manufacturers expected to mention additives on productsMost people give no thought to list of ingredients

Bright yellow laddoos, pista green ice-creams, dark brown colas, multicoloured candies — all the colours that make food appealing come from the use of additives.

Fat replacers, fat emulsifiers, flavour enhancers, artificial sweeteners, anti-caking agents and preservatives are among some of the additives that are an essential part of the multi-crore food processing industry that has brought packaged food to most households.

With food safety in the spotlight as never before, consumers have the trying task of figuring out what the use of additives in particular products really means in terms of overall health impact.

“The food additives have been use in for several years, and many of them may contain heavy metals or compounds that are capable of causing harm,” said A. Bhadran, a former government analyst. The packaged food industry thrives on shelf-life, and these additives make products stay fresh and bright to catch the consumers’ eye.

According to Mr. Bhadran, there are 555 food additives that are generally recognised as safe. “The permissible limits of most of the additives is a measure of 100 parts per million. There are eight permitted colours and all of them are by-products of coal tar,” he said.

All food additives have been categorised and named, and the manufacturers are expected to mention the additives either by name or by the code name provided. “The additives were sometimes associated with controversies as they have been considered as possibly carcinogenic,” said former Food Safety Officer Abdul Jelil. “It is a norm that the manufacturers enlist the ingredients used in the product on the package and it is the duty of the government to see that the manufacturers stick to the regulations governing the use of these additives,” said Mr. Jelil.

While the majority of the people give no second thought about what they find on the list of ingredients, there are a few who do and go for specific products to avoid food additives that could be allergic.

The websites of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Food and Drug Administration (U.S.) provide a list of the items and the permitted measure.

For homemaker Rejitha Rajeev, her 10 years in London made her aware about various ingredients and the sources of the ingredients that go into processed foods. “It was my pursuit to buy vegetarian sourced foods that helped me find quite a few things about the additives”, said Mrs. Rajeev.

Manufacturers expected to mention additives on products

Most people give no thought to list of ingredients