Contents
Chlorophyll copper complexes – natural food supplement (E141). It has a characteristic green tint, but is completely odorless. Its main application is the dairy industry. In pure water and water-alcohol liquids, the dye dissolves completely. Gives food a bright greenish color.
Method for obtaining E141
You can find many names of food additives, widely known among them: chlorophyll copper complexes, copper chlorophyll complex, E-141, E141, English names sodium and potassium salts, chlorophyll and others.
Copper complexes of chlorophyll are obtained from a special group of edible young plants: alfalfa grass, broccoli, nettle. The dye is extracted using universal solvents (primarily alcohol and copper salts). For the most effective extraction, other solvents will also be needed: dimethyl ketone, dichloromethane, methyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, hexane.
Nutritional Supplement Features
The nutritional supplement changes color to dark brown during a chemical reaction (hydrogen completely absorbs magnesium). From the dye E141, the additive E140 was made. E141 are characterized by an increased resistance to temperature fluctuations and light fastness. Chlorophyll can remain the same color for a long period of time – emerald greenish. The active substance of the additive shows good resistance in an acid-base environment.
The dye has unique features and performs a number of functions: tints food and mixtures green; gives a fascinating look to the finished product; able to restore the natural color of the product, lost after lengthy processing processes; It is extracted from plants, therefore, it is considered environmentally friendly and safe.
E141 is successfully produced and sold by Germany, Denmark, Russia and India.
Composition E141
Within its group, the dye consists of two main elements: the copper complex of chlorophylls and the acids of the copper complex of chlorophyllins. The first component in appearance is similar to a stretching wax of a green-blue or persistent green hue. It is extracted from algae and some young green plants using copper solutions and salts.
The second element E141 is similar in structure to a powder that has its own color palette: bright green, light green, dark green.
These two elements are part of the dietary supplement, they are soluble in water and do not dissolve at all in vegetable oils. The 1st component of E141 reacts to an acidic environment, and the 2nd to an alkaline one.
Applications
The areas of application of the dye are very large, covering the main industries. Due to its resistance to temperature fluctuations, the substance is used in the manufacture of dairy products: ice cream, savory dairy desserts and cakes. The primary task of chlorophyll is to color a certain list of products in a beautiful saturated color.
There is an opinion that chlorophyll is widely used to create dietary supplements that restore hemoglobin levels (bring it back to normal). But this point of view has not been confirmed by science, because when the human body receives the active substances of the supplement with food, they are not at all involved in raising the level of hemoglobin.
Separately, the active substances of the food additive are used for coloring various food products and products in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals. The dye is added to vegetable and fruit twists, pastries, expensive varieties of Dutch cheese, ointments, suppositories and tinctures (pharmaceuticals), soaps, oils and creams (cosmetic products).
Demanded E141 is often included in the following products:
- chewing gum;
- instant soups;
- preservatives;
- mayonnaise.
Some of the products are only allowed to be dyed according to the Codex Alimentarius, which details the process of coloring food.
| Staining is allowed in the Codex Alimentarius | Dosage (indicators) |
|---|---|
| pickled cucumbers | Should not exceed 300 milligrams per 1 kilogram in pure form or in combination with other coloring substances |
| Dry broths and soups | Up to 400 milligrams per 1 kilogram per finished product |
| Some of the GMP cheeses | Should not exceed 0,5 g/1kg |
It is advisable to use the substance for the preparation of confectionery dishes, jellies, jams, marmalades, low-calorie dishes, colorful and tasty drinks (liqueurs). Also, E141 is one of the best oral and dental care products.
Benefit and harm
Positive qualities of chlorophyll as an additive: natural origin, no negative impact on human well-being, used in many sectors of the country, high-quality dye.
The substance favorably affects the well-being and general state of human health if it enters the body as part of dietary supplements (normalizes the level of hemoglobin in the blood). But if a nutritional supplement enters the body with food, then there will be little benefit from it.
The question of the effect of a nutritional supplement on reducing unpleasant odor from the skin in certain types of diseases, including cancer, remains open. American scientists are convinced that chlorophyll in tablets completely eliminates the smell of the skin in case of ileostomy disease. There is an opinion that chlorophyll is able to bind mutagens of cancer cells, thus it can serve as a means of preventing cancer. The effectiveness and efficiency of the E141 nutritional supplement in the fight against ileostomy and other types of cancer has not been proven to date.
Regarding the harm of E141, a negative effect on the body has not been established. Scientists have conducted many studies and tests and came to the conclusion that if you do not exceed the daily allowance of a nutritional supplement, then you can not worry about the risk of negative consequences.
Health effects of dietary supplements
Chlorophyll in the form of a food additive is safe for humans and is allowed in Russia, Ukraine, America, almost all countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe. The food industry primarily uses E141 to change the color of certain products in the form of raw materials.
There are organizations that are responsible for the use of food additives and indicate the permissible limit (norm) of additives in food. This is due to the presence of a heavy metal, copper, in the dietary supplement. Because of this, the dosage of this active substance in food is small.
Other studies have shown that copper is not absorbed by the body at all, so there can be no toxic poisoning. Natural dye does not harm human vital organs (no side effects).
When a food product containing E141 is heated, copper tends to be released, so do not neglect the daily dosage of the active substance so as not to be poisoned by toxins. The maximum dose of a food supplement per day is not more than 15 milligrams per 1 kilogram of body weight. The daily rate should not be neglected in order to avoid unforeseen consequences.