Amaranth is a deep red to purple azo dye used as a food dye and color cosmetics.
The name comes from amaranth, a plant known for its red color and edible protein-rich seeds. Amaranth is an anionic dye. Can be applied to natural and synthetic fibers, leather, paper and phenolic resins. As a food additive, its E number is E123. Amaranth usually comes in the form of trisodium salt.
Appearance: reddish brown, dark red to purple water-soluble powder, decomposes at 120℃ without melting. Its aqueous solution has maximum absorption at about 520 nm. Like all azo dyes, amaranth was made from coal tar in the mid-20th century; modern synthetic materials are more likely to be made from petroleum by-products. Since 1976, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned amaranth as a suspected carcinogen. Its use is still legal in some countries, particularly in the UK, where it is most commonly used to give Glace cherries their distinctive color
Chemical properties of additives
E123 Azo dye looks like a violet, reddish-brown or purple powder. It is obtained during the processing of coal tar. There is a plant of the same name in nature, but matter has nothing to do with it. The additive dissolves well and at temperatures of 120 degrees Celsius and above it begins to decompose into elements but does not melt.
The persistent chemical properties of the substance are explained by the presence of nitrogen-containing coloring compounds in its composition. Since amaranth is actually a waste from the coal industry, its cost is very low, which is why it is so popular among industrialists.
The main property of this substance is coloration. Added to food to enhance and intensify its natural color, to give it a color different from its natural color, or to restore a color that has been changed or deteriorated during heating or other processing.
Food additive E123 will not affect the taste of food. The same applies to the texture, shelf life and other cooking characteristics of food. Amaranth is only responsible for the discoloration.
Material uses: From sheepskin coats to jam
Given the strength of the pigments contained in the dye, it does a great job of coloring more than just cakes or cupcakes. In the textile industry, amaranth is used to dye fabrics instead of the more expensive and less common cochineal. E123 is also popular in the field of making leather goods, jackets, sheepskin coats and fur coats: when you see a fur coat in an unusual bright burgundy or scarlet color, you can hardly suspect that it is made of amaranth Color dyed.
Dye E123 is also used to impart red, pink, purple or blue color to paper or cardboard.
In the cosmetics industry, the substance is a common ingredient in lipsticks, blushes, nail polishes and other "tinted" varieties of decorative cosmetics and care products.
Russia, Ukraine and the United States have banned the use of amaranth in food. However, the EU imposes no such restrictions on its territory.
In addition, amaranth is added to such products:
- Dry mixes for baking, jellies, biscuits;
- dry breakfast;
- sweet carbonated drinks;
- Candy (ice cream, desserts, lollipops, dragees);
- chewing gum;
- Canned fruit with characteristic colors.
Dangers of using the dye "Amaranth"
This substance has long been used in the production of various foods, desserts and baby food. However, studies conducted in the United States in the 1970s produced alarming results, and since then Americans have almost completely stopped using this additive in cooking. Later, some other countries joined them.
Experiments involving laboratory mice showed that as a result of the use of amaranth, the rodents began to develop dense, cancerous tumors. Due to its properties as an allergen, this substance is extremely dangerous to allergy and asthma sufferers, causing hives, itching, and chronic rhinitis. Additionally, negative effects on the liver and kidneys were revealed, as well as disturbances in the functioning of these organs.
Today, in countries where the use of a certain substance is not banned, the packaging of products containing this additive must be marked in a special way to draw the attention of buyers.
Bright red, purple or violet powders with intense and long-lasting coloring properties remain popular in the UK. It can be found in canned berries and fruits, desserts, jellies and other very attractive foods.
Exactly why the UK and other countries in the EU were so bold in ignoring the findings of chemists and biologists on the properties of amaranth is unknown. However, its dangers and hazards to human health have ceased to be in doubt over the past 50 years: the substance is highly mutagenic, toxic and carcinogenic and is a potent allergen. Although the use of this dye in cosmetics has not been officially banned in all states to date, manufacturers are trying to reduce the amount used and gradually switch to more harmless additives. The reason is that amaranth can cause urticaria not only through eating, but also through contact with mucous membranes and skin. Such cases have been recorded more than once in world practice
Think of the world's sweetest, juiciest dessert, and it's likely to have a red hue on its palette, as this color is a natural appetite booster. The dye amaranth has long been used in the food and cosmetics industries to give products a juicy cherry or strawberry color until its possible link to cancer was discovered in the 1970s.
The dangers of amaranth or food additives E-123
Amaranth - Its hazards are not officially recognized worldwide. Currently, it is prohibited to be used in the food industry in Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. But there is no official ban in EU countries, and if you visit the UK, for example, you can find it marked in canned cherries.
What effects does E-123 have on the body? Because there are no relevant studies, no direct link has been found between human cancer and E-123 use. But experiments on rats in the 1970s showed that the use of dyes could lead to liver disease, fetal birth defects, infertility, stillbirth, premature death of offspring, and the formation and growth of malignant tumors.
As for the people, opinions are quite ambivalent. Of note, E-123 can cause small red rashes (hives) and worsen bronchial asthma associated with increased aspirin sensitivity. According to some scientists, nutritional supplements can cause itchy rashes and hyperactivity symptoms in children and may cause developmental disorders in the fetus.
What products contain E-123?
Amaranth allows food technicians to work wonders. E-123 is readily soluble in water and retains its coloring properties without melting at temperatures up to +120 °C.
E-123 can dye products red with bluish, brown or purple tints. This is ideal if you want the berries that darken during cooking to look appetizing and fresh. After being exposed to the dye, the glazed fruit on the finished dessert looks like it was just picked. So it's no surprise that at the height of its popularity, E123 was showing up not only in canned foods but also on the labels of muffins, cookies, jellies, cereals, sodas, and ice cream. This shade also entered the arsenal of cosmetic manufacturers, who successfully used it in blushes and lipsticks.
Main points
- E123 is a food additive approved by the European Union (EU). It is used as a synthetic colorant in food and beverage products and photography.
- The common name for E123 is Amaranth.
- E123 gives the product a red/purple color and is extremely soluble in water - making it useful as a photographic dye. E123 is commonly used in wine and spirits.
- E123 has been linked to asthma and eczema, as well as ADHD in children. Some people also question the possibility of E123 causing cancer. Individuals who are intolerant to salicylates may find that they are intolerant to E123 because E123 is an azo dye.
- E123 is banned in many countries, including the United States, Austria, Russia and Norway.
