CHEM 181 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Yolk, Canthaxanthin, Food Coloring

• School: McGill University
• Department: Chemistry
• Course: CHEM 181
• Professor: David Noble Harpp, Ariel Fenster, Joseph A Schwarcz

Document Summary

Colours play a role in terms of making food more appetizing. In canada: synthetic colours (8+2) and 25 natural colours. The most widely used food colour in north america is caramel, because it is the colour used to colour all of the cola drinks. Another widely used natural food colour is beta-carotene, in europe is labelled (e160a) It is naturally present in carrots and other foods. There is another substance called canthaxantin (e160g) that gives the same orange-reddish colour to food. It was widely used as an artificial tanning agent. Both are fat soluble, when you take in beta canthaxanthin pills it will deposit in fatty tissue under the skin and the skin will appear an orangey colour. It is not allowed in canada as an artificial tanning agent because it would deposit in the retina and cause crystal deposit. Possible to make yellow by adjusting the feed of the cows.