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Natural dye E163 or anthocyanin is currently widely used in the food industry in the production of various food products. This substance belongs to the group of anthocyanins, which includes pigments of various colors contained in plant cells.
Translated from Greek, anthocyanin is a blue flower. In the natural environment, it is used to attract insects, thereby promoting the pollination of flowers. It gives a rich bright shade to plants, protects them from ultraviolet radiation and increased solar activity.
Is this natural supplement harmful or beneficial? What will the use of the E163 dye for the human body turn out to be? These and other questions will be discussed in the next article.
Description of the appearance of a substance and its properties
Other names for this substance are: eno-dye, enociania, anthocyane, grape skin extract, anthocyanins, eno and others. These are dyes of natural plant origin, which are contained in the cells of various plants. The most common representatives that contain the largest amount of anthocyanins are: rose hips, strawberries, red grapes, chokeberries, blueberries, black currants, elderberries, cherries, red cabbage.
Such substances are obtained from plants using an extraction process, the solvents for which can be slightly acidified or sulphated water, carbon dioxide, methanol or ethyl alcohol. Often in such compounds there are various impurities, such as tannins, sugar, raw materials components and minerals.
The appearance of the dye is quite diverse. It can be in liquid, paste or even powder form. Additive E103 has a characteristic specific aroma, as well as a different variation of shades of red, blue, purple and even green. The intensity of these shades depends on the level of acidity of a particular medium.
Such substances are very soluble in water and practically insoluble in ethyl alcohol.
The use of food additive E103 in various fields
Most often, this natural dye is used to color wine, confectionery, soft drinks and various sauces. It is also used to give color to processed fruit products, mayonnaise and some types of cheese.
This dye is not used for coloring milk and sour-milk products, because due to the acidity of the medium in them, it turns blue, and not red.
The use of this dye in the pharmaceutical industry is very common. With its help, various biologically active additives, vitamin complexes are stained.
E103 is also used as medicines intended for general strengthening of the body, which contain antioxidants. They also greatly reduce the risk of cancer and are used as additives and antioxidants in anti-cancer drugs.
Such a substance has gained great popularity in the cosmetic industry.
Cosmetic creams, masks and other products are rich in anthocyanins, which care for youth, elasticity and beauty of the skin.
Such a dye is also used to color organic solar cells, due to the fact that anthocyanins have the ability to absorb light waves and convert them into electrons.
Useful and dangerous properties of anthocyanins for humans
Research in this area continues to this day. Their study has had highly encouraging, positive results. In the United States of America, a number of experiments conducted on anthocyanins have shown that such substances significantly reduce the risk of oncological diseases of the small intestine and esophagus.
Since 2007, anthocyanins have also been tested on humans. Thanks to this, it became known that freeze-drying of fruits and berries is most useful for achieving the best therapeutic effect. They contain a much higher concentration of antioxidants than fresh versions.
Anthocyanins are a very useful substance for human health. They contribute to the removal of free radicals and dangerous toxins from the body, prevent the effects of ultraviolet radiation, and are used as a prevention of the onset and development of oncological tumors. Such a food supplement is a component of various drugs used in the complex treatment of bacterial infections, neurological diseases, eye diseases: cataracts and glaucoma.
It has proven itself very well in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, contributes to a significant reduction in its possible consequences.
The lack of substances in antioxidant properties is manifested by:
- decreased immunity, general weakness;
- frequent colds and infectious diseases;
- increased nervousness and anxiety;
- constant stress and depression.
In order to avoid such conditions, it is necessary to eat foods containing an increased amount of anthocyanins. But even those products that contain the food additive E103 can be beneficial. Therefore, do not be afraid of them.
Trouble can only happen to those people who are very sensitive to such substances. The maximum allowed daily dose of anthocyanins is 2,5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
Such a food supplement is approved for production and use everywhere, including in the Russian Federation and European countries.
Summing up
Anthocyanins are a widely used natural food supplement with high antioxidant properties. It is marked on food products with the sign E103.
But the presence of such an icon on the packages should not frighten the consumer, because such a substance is absolutely harmless.
Moreover, such a dye benefits the body and has a positive effect on human health. Its most important quality is the prevention of the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. In addition, anthocyanins have a number of other positive qualities, which makes it popular not only in the food industry, but also in the field of medicine and cosmetology.