Summary & Critique
While food colouring has brought us more consumer choices and a higher standard of living, this comes with various implications in areas like health, higher prices, etc. We should be glad that the AVA strictly regulates food colouring, as this would allow us to enjoy it's benefits with minimal implications. Of course, consumers should also be aware and exercise caution when consuming food with added food colouring. Knowledge is power, and I am sure everyone would like to know what they are putting into their stomach.
future of food colouring
Through our research and analysis of the material surrounding artificial food colouring, we have gazed into the crystal ball and surfaced a few key trends for the future outlook of the food colour industry:
1) Organic and natural food dyes: as consumers have become increasingly aware of the ingredients in their foods and as such they require foods to be as natural and "organic" as possible.
2) The impact of biotechnology on colourants: advancement in biotechnology to harness plant tissues and algae and fungi culture could be better options for new biotechnologically derived food colourings.
3) Colour formulations using ingredients from genetically modified sources have faced resistance from health-aware consumers: further work is expected to complete a full range of GM-free colours to meet this forward-looking consumer concern.
4) Many novel pigment sources have been identified (such as monascus and blue gardenia): as the industry matures, potential new sources of natural colours are capping off, but a few are still expected to be discovered and assessed; however, barriers to commercialisation of any new sources are high due to the extensive safety testing needed, especially in the modern climate of caution and heavy regulation.
5) Harmonised regulation and legislation could be on the cards due to the globalisation of the food industry and the co-operation of national legislators.
1) Organic and natural food dyes: as consumers have become increasingly aware of the ingredients in their foods and as such they require foods to be as natural and "organic" as possible.
2) The impact of biotechnology on colourants: advancement in biotechnology to harness plant tissues and algae and fungi culture could be better options for new biotechnologically derived food colourings.
3) Colour formulations using ingredients from genetically modified sources have faced resistance from health-aware consumers: further work is expected to complete a full range of GM-free colours to meet this forward-looking consumer concern.
4) Many novel pigment sources have been identified (such as monascus and blue gardenia): as the industry matures, potential new sources of natural colours are capping off, but a few are still expected to be discovered and assessed; however, barriers to commercialisation of any new sources are high due to the extensive safety testing needed, especially in the modern climate of caution and heavy regulation.
5) Harmonised regulation and legislation could be on the cards due to the globalisation of the food industry and the co-operation of national legislators.