Food additive E160a (carotene) belongs to the coloring substance - carotenoid and is labeled as additive E160 in the food industry. E160 refers to a group of natural pigments found in fruits and vegetables. These compounds give many plants their bright red, orange and yellow colors.
- The chemical formula is С40H56
food source
Carotene is found in many fruits and vegetables, with some of the richest sources including carrots, apricots, melons, persimmons, cabbage, parsley, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and mangoes.
Natural colouring
Carotene is an organic pigment that belongs to the large class of compounds called carotenoids. It is an orange pigment formed during photosynthesis in plants. Carotenes give fruits and vegetables their orange and yellow color. They are not produced in humans or animals. Generally speaking, the higher the intensity of orange in a product, the more carotenes it contains.
Food additive E160a is a provitamin of vitamin A. It is insoluble in water but soluble in fat and organic solvents.
type
Depending on the production method, there are two types of additives:
- E160a(i): Synthesis of β-carotene;
- E160a(ii): Natural vegetable carotene extract.
- E160a(iii): β-carotene from Blakeslea trispora
- 160(iv): Salina salina rich in β-carotene ( Dunaliella salina) extract
Synthetic carotene is supplied from the United States. Natural carotene is produced in Spain (from certain mushrooms) or Australia (from dried seaweed).
E160a food coloring is derived from carrots, red palm oil and corn seeds. Sources of additive E160a can also be other plants and certain types of bacteria.
Carotene comes in two main forms:
- α-carotene
- β-carotene
In addition, there are gamma, delta, epsilon, and zeta carotenes (gamma, delta, epsilon, and delta-carotene), but they are not yet widely used. Alpha and beta carotene molecules are almost identical, differing only in the position of the double bond in the end ring of the molecule.
β-carotene
Beta-carotene, a red-orange pigment found in plants and fruits, is a carotene synthesized from isoprene units. It is characterized by beta rings at both ends of the molecule and is biosynthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. Beta-carotene is widely used as a food coloring and is the most common form of carotene in plants and is identified by the E number E160a.
physical description
Synthetic β-carotene is a red crystal or powder, mainly composed of all-trans-β-carotene, and contains small amounts of other carotenoids.
Carotenes obtained from vegetables such as carrots, palm fruits and sweet potatoes are extracted and purified using solvents. The main colorants in these extracts are alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, with beta-carotene being the most abundant.
Carrot oil is a fraction or mixture obtained from edible carrots through hexane extraction and is also rich in beta-carotene.
β-carotene derived from B. trispora varies in color from red to violet and contains mainly all-trans-β-carotene, as well as other carotenoids such as γ-carotene.
Beta-carotene-rich Dunaliella salina extract is obtained by extracting d-limonene and suspending it in vegetable oil. The extract contains multiple beta-carotene isomers, as well as smaller amounts of other carotenoids.
color range
Carotenes are responsible for a range of colors in fruits and vegetables, including bright orange (beta-carotene), deep red (lycopene) and yellow (alpha-carotene and beta-carotene). The specific color produced depends on the chemical structure and concentration of the carotenoid compounds present.
stability
Carotenes are sensitive to factors such as heat, light and oxygen, which can reduce their color and nutritional content. Food processing techniques, such as blanching, freezing and canning, can affect the stability of carotenoids in foods. Therefore, it is important to handle and cook fruits and vegetables correctly to retain their carotenoid content.
use
Main product categories include:
- snack
- Cookies and Cakes
- Plant-based foods and beverages
- dairy
- meal
- condiment
- frozen food
- sauce
- fermented food
regulatory status
Naturally sourced carotenes are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by regulatory agencies around the world, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
GSFA
Carotenoids, including beta-carotene, are used as food additives in various categories, with maximum permissible levels set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. This includes the synthesis of β-carotene and Botrytis trispora (INS No. 160a(iii)). Plant beta-carotene (INS No. 160a(ii)) is also added to many food categories. In addition, proposals are pending for the use of a beta-carotene-rich extract of Dunaliella salina (INS No. 160a(iv)) as a color additive in food and beverages.
Regulatory approval
Joint Expert Committee (JECFA)
The reason is that research shows that heavy smokers and people with cardiovascular disease who consume 20 milligrams of isolated beta-carotene per day increase their risk of lung cancer and heart disease. It can also promote the development of colorectal cancer. Those who drink large amounts on a regular basis, such as 1 to 2 liters of a beta-carotene-rich multivitamin juice, can quickly reach 20 mg per day, easily reaching dangerous doses. At high doses, young children's skin may turn yellow. However, naturally occurring carotenes can also produce this effect (e.g. "carrot babies").
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) withdrew the acceptable daily intake of synthetic beta-carotene and beta-carotene derived from Botrytis trispora due to the inability to establish ADI groups that include heavy smokers. Input (ADI). Ethically collecting more data from this population is challenging. However, an unspecified ADI has been established for beta-carotene-rich extracts and carotenoids from Dunaliella salina (vegetables) as long as their use does not exceed levels normally found in vegetables.
In 2000, the EU recommended maximum daily intake of beta-carotene (E160a) was reduced from 5 mg to 1-2 mg per kilogram of body weight.
USA
Carotene is certified for general coloring. (21 CFR 73.95) In addition, carrot oil can be used as food coloring in compliance with GMP. (21 CFR 73.300)
European Union
Mixed carotenes and beta-carotene fall short of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) established by EFSA in 2012. However, EFSA allows its use in certain food and drink categories subject to quantum satisfaction.
