Besides preservatives and fragrances, this ingredient is also essential to know!

Imagine a world without color—it would be dull and lifeless. Color is one of the key sensory indicators, and in food or cosmetics, different colors can lead people to associate various ingredients, flavors, and even effects with the product.

Vibrant fruits and vegetables

With the rise of the "additive-free" concept, "colorants" have been demonized by consumers. But what exactly are colorants, what risks do they pose, and are natural colorants really safer?

01. Colorants in Cosmetics

Colorants are substances added to products to give them the desired color. Based on their source and properties, they are divided into synthetic organic colorants (including dyes, lakes, and pigments), inorganic pigments, and natural colorants.

Synthetic Organic Colorants: These mainly refer to dyes, most of which are synthesized from aromatic hydrocarbons, byproducts of coal distillation, hence they are also known as tar dyes. Examples include Amaranth and Tartrazine.

Inorganic Pigments: These have strong coloring power, opacity, and durability, such as titanium dioxide and carbon black. There are also pigments like mica and bismuth oxychloride that create a pearlescent effect.

Natural Colorants: These are primarily derived from plants, animals, or microorganisms, like carotene and carmine.

Did you know? The white bugs you see on your succulents are in the same insect family as the cochineal used to make carmine dye!

02. Risks of Colorants

Currently, no known benefits to the human body have been found from colorants. According to statistics, after fragrances and preservatives, colorants are the next most common cosmetic ingredients that can cause skin dysfunction. Long-term or excessive use may lead to cumulative harm.

Pigment deposition may be related to the photosensitivity of synthetic colorants, and this can sometimes be accompanied by skin redness, rashes, or other inflammatory reactions. Allergenic dyes may cause burning sensations, itching, peeling, or even respiratory and mucosal allergies due to inhalation of reactive dyes.

Moreover, synthetic colorants may also pose risks of genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and combined toxicity.

03. Are Natural Colorants Safer?

Natural colorants are extracted from animals, plants, or microorganisms and often have health benefits. However, "natural" doesn’t necessarily mean completely harmless.

The extraction and purification processes for natural colorants can involve some safety risks. In addition, the chemical structures and compositions of some natural colorants are not fully understood, and typical toxicological data may not be available, meaning there could be unknown toxicity. Therefore, the safety and toxicology of natural colorants require further research.

Globally, the safety of colorants is determined by the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake), which is the maximum amount a person can consume per kilogram of body weight each day. The higher the ADI, the safer the colorant.

However, natural colorants are often less vibrant, less light-resistant, and more expensive, which limits their use. It’s believed that research and development of both safe synthetic and natural colorants will be an important trend in the future.

04. Colorant Regulations

The risks of colorants to humans and the environment have been closely studied for a long time. Countries and regions have established laws and regulations to restrict high-risk colorants. These regulations typically categorize colorants into lists of banned, restricted, and approved substances.

In China, the "Cosmetic Safety Technical Standard" (2015 edition) approves 157 colorants for use and divides their application into four categories: all cosmetics, non-eye cosmetics, cosmetics not intended for mucosal contact, and cosmetics for temporary skin contact.

Each country has different approaches to regulating colorants, but generally, using colorants within legal limits is considered safe. However, avoiding colorants altogether would certainly enhance safety.

As I reflect on my childhood, I realize my mom was absolutely right to limit my snacking. Thanks, Mom! But thinking back on all the junk food I’ve eaten over the years, I can’t help but feel like my post-COVID recovery just got a little worse. Sigh~

References:

[1] Qian Xiaoyan. Research on the Analytical Methods of Synthetic Organic Colorants in Cosmetics [D]. Hangzhou: Zhejiang University of Technology, 2014.
[2] Hu Mengkun, Wang Zhenyu, Dong Jiao. Safety Evaluation and Detection Techniques of Food Colorants [J]. Agricultural Science and Equipment, 2019, (4): 47-48.
[3] Wang Wenxiu. Harm of Synthetic Colorants to the Human Body and Prospects for the Application of Natural Colorants [J]. Food Safety Guide, 2019, 9: 72-73.
[4] Zhou Qi, Zhao Youcai. The Harm of Dyes to Human Health and the Ecological Environment [J]. Journal of Environment and Health, 2005, 22(3): 229-231.
[5] Zhu Haiying. Problems and Solutions Regarding Synthetic Food Colorants Under the Food Safety Law [D]. Wuhan: Wuhan Polytechnic University, 2011.