Could tea replace chemicals as a natural food colorant?
08/03/2018 // Ralph Flores // Views

Nature is truly the gift that keeps on giving – if people know how to make use of these gifts. One such example is tea. People consume it the world over, but there are still parts of the plant that are typically discarded and considered waste from the supply chain. However, seemingly useless and extraneous materials from tea production can still be reused in other ways. In particular, "refused tea," the waste produced in the manufacture of black tea, can be used as an alternative food colorant in place of caramel black (E, INS 50), according to researchers from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka.

Food colorants – substances that are added to food and beverage to change their initial colors – have been used for a very long time. This is done so that the food becomes more appealing than its original state: Experts have long understood that how a particular food item is perceived visually is an essential factor that can affect its overall viability in the market.

"If you give somebody a strawberry-flavored candy sweet, but it was colored green, they would find it very difficult to distinguish the flavor of the candy," according to Amandine de Santi, business manager of Naturex, in an article that appeared in FoodNavigator.com. "By adding a red, people associate that with the strawberry flavor and it helps enhance the flavor."

An example of a food color that is widely used is caramel. One of the oldest soluble food colors, caramel has been used in many food products such as those in baked goods, soybean sauces, ground sauces, soft drinks, ground molt, alcoholic beverages, and in gravies and vinegars.

Brighteon.TV

However, studies have indicated that beverages with the caramel black colorant are also exposed to 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), which is described as a potential carcinogen, during the production process.

For this study, the researchers aimed to create an alternative colorant for the color caramel using refused tea. In Sri Lanka, tea is the third-largest agricultural crop in the country, with annual production reaching up to 320 million kilograms. In particular, black tea is the leading export, accounting for 95 percent of tea in the country.

The proper raw materials were selected, and color extraction and stabilization was done with carrageenan. The behavior of the extract was studied at different pH values, as well as concentrations, and its potential viability was compared with the current caramel color (E, INS 50). This was conducted using sensory evaluation tests and color comparison methods.

The results noted that the initial pH level of the extract was 4.9; the color can be used in a wide range of pH levels, and in different concentrations. The food color can also be used from a Munsell color chart of 10YR 6/8 to 7.5YR 0.4/2 range, at different concentrations, without any difference between the developed color and the commercially available one. Also, the total polyphenol content of the product was 0.04718 milligrams per milliliter, and the primary flavor compounds included Trance-2-hexenal, Cis-3-Hexenol, Linalool, Methyl salicylate, 2-phenyl ethanol, and ?-ionone.

The researchers concluded that the resulting food colorant from refused black tea has the potential to be used in the food industry. The main thrust of the study was to develop a product using refused tea as the main ingredient, and the food color is an important discovery since it can be manufactured with little cost in production.

The authors wrote of the future benefits of the study: "This will be a good opportunity to increase the national gross domestic product (GDP) while opening new markets as a tea-producing country."

Learn about more scientific breakthroughs on food by heading to Science.news today.

Sources include:

Science.news

IOSRJournals.org [PDF]

FoodNavigator.com

 



Take Action:
Support Natural News by linking to this article from your website.
Permalink to this article:
Copy
Embed article link:
Copy
Reprinting this article:
Non-commercial use is permitted with credit to NaturalNews.com (including a clickable link).
Please contact us for more information.
Free Email Alerts
Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more.
App Store
Android App
eTrust Pro Certified

This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2022 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.

This site uses cookies
Natural News uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy.
Learn More
Close
Get 100% real, uncensored news delivered straight to your inbox
You can unsubscribe at any time. Your email privacy is completely protected.