Apocarotenal, food coloring E160e, carotene aldehyde are the names of a single substance that is found naturally in food of plant origin. In fairly large quantities, it is found in vegetables, spinach, some types of citrus fruits, animal liver.
By its name, it resembles vitamin A, which is very important for the human body. Like it, E160e plays a role in proper development, although it shows less interaction. Most often found under the formula – С30Н40О.
Food additive E160e belongs to the group of dyes. Has a nice red tint. When dry, the substance acquires a purple color and a crystalline form with a rather noticeable luster, slightly reminiscent of a metallic one. Another form is also allowed – powder. It can only be dissolved in a specific oil.
Ready for use in the food industry, beta-apocaratinaldehyde is supplied as a liquid suspension. Can be dissolved with an aqueous emulsion, some kind of vegetable oil or dispersion. It is extracted both from natural raw materials and by chemical synthesis in the laboratory.
Chemical properties and composition of E160e
Carotene aldehyde, according to the properties described by specialists, does not differ at all from the dye of natural origin beta-carotene.
By using the substance, you can get the whole spectrum of red – from pale yellow to rich orange. The natural substances contained add some properties to the product, such as antioxidant or anti-carcinogenic effects.
In nature, carotene is found in foods such as green onions or lettuce, carrots, parsley. It is believed that the greatest concentration of nutrients is concentrated in spinach and sorrel. A huge amount of useful vitamin A enters the human body with the berries of various shrubs – gooseberries, black currants. The fruits of trees – peaches or apricots, also contain a considerable amount of this substance. In the garden, you can grow paprika or red pepper, which will also be the best source of beta-carotene in the body.
Modern science has allowed us to go far beyond the usual natural factors, creating beta-apocarotene aldehyde through chemical processes. Therefore, the source of the active substance is not only raw materials of natural origin, but also synthetics. A large number of commercially available E160e is created using laboratory experiments.
However, the purpose of the discovery is to concern people. Despite its synthetic origin, ready-to-use artificial food coloring also provides all the benefits that are present in natural plants. The main reason for this development is the rapid loss of useful properties in natural environmental conditions.
As a result, the resulting substance is absolutely not subject to change after the influence of temperature, high or low humidity and other factors. Therefore, many enterprises boldly use synthetic substances. After all, even a red color applied to a food product long ago will retain the positive properties of the product for a long time.
Dye E160e is often used in the cosmetic and chemical industries. This use is explained by the fact that the created products with beta-apocarotene aldehyde can be stored for a long time, increasing the shelf life. A striking example is the coloring of not only hard, but also processed cheeses in various developed countries of the world.
Application and effect on the human body
Beta-apocarotene aldehyde E160e is used in the food industry to impart an attractive or characteristic shade to food products.
It can be found in:
- hard and processed cheeses;
- bread or bakery products;
- pasta;
- vegetable oils;
- pate or roe;
- various creams;
- minced fish or fish sold under the guise of salmon;
- dry snacks with the addition of potato starch;
- alcoholic drinks;
- canned fruits and vegetables.
It is often found in semi-finished products, especially those made on the basis of crab or shrimp meat. In other areas of human activity, E160e is found in pharmacology. Here it plays the role of a dye for some drugs. For the same purpose, it is used in the manufacture of cosmetics. In the textile industry, it can be a great way to get an unusual shade in natural and synthetic fabrics.
Based on the above food products, as well as other uses for beta-apocarotene aldehyde, it can be said that its use is very popular. Food coloring is approved for use in many countries around the world. Among them are the Russian Federation, New Zealand, Australia and almost all countries of the European Union.
Numerous laboratory studies have been repeatedly conducted with food coloring E160e. It was studied for the negative impact on the human body, both synthetically created and natural product. The results of the results obtained indicate the absence of any harm to a person. In the general group of all food additives, it belongs to the category of conditionally safe.
The reason for the negative impact on the human body may be the dislike of carotene. In this case, an allergic reaction will occur. At the same time, getting rid of the symptoms that have appeared is quite problematic. Such manifestations are especially dangerous in children who are young. In this regard, it is advisable not to give food containing dye to children under a certain age.
In the human body, beta-apocarotene aldehyde accumulates in the liver. This internal organ processes it for some time, and then successfully removes it in natural ways. Despite the beneficial properties of carotene, its use is still limited. A healthy person is allowed to consume a maximum of 5 mg. substances per kilogram of body. With a weight of 100 kg, you can eat only 500 mg of foods containing E160e food coloring.