Chlorophyll is a naturally occurring pigment found in all plants, algae and some types of bacteria. In structure, it is as close as possible to gem – a pigment that gives the blood a red color.
Chlorophyll is extracted from plants by chemical reactions and used in the food industry as a dye. The index of this food additive is E140. Pigment sources can be algae and plants, but bacteria are rarely used for these purposes.
Method of obtaining
Natural food coloring does not harm the human body, therefore it does not belong to the category of prohibited or dangerous food concentrates.
It is quite logical that with the development of the chemical industry, it became possible to synthesize chlorophyll in the laboratory. Therefore, manufacturers can add both natural and chemical dye to products. There are significant differences between these two types and this must be taken into account.
Natural chlorophyll has a diverse structure – it all depends on which plant was used as a raw material, the age and condition of the plant, and other factors. But the chemical component has a single structure defined by the formula.
But the main difference is that during the synthesis of chlorophyll, chemical impurities can be formed that are no longer safe for the body.
If the food concentrate manufacturer strictly follows the synthesis technology, then no impurities are formed. But if there is even the slightest violation of technology, then synthetic E140 may have a completely different effect on the human body.
Materials
Appearance Chlorophyll is a solid substance that looks like wax. Color – rich green: from olive to dark green.
The aroma is pleasant, not sharp, herbal. The taste is missing. The substance is highly soluble in water, alcohol, oil and fats.
For food production, the E140 additive is packed in multilayer paper bags of large volume, over 25 kg. In retail trade, you can buy natural dye in packages weighing 10 g or more. Using the dye, you can give the finished product the color of all shades of green, but it all depends on the proportion of the introduction of the coloring component .
Chlorophyll is very sensitive to high temperature and ultraviolet radiation, under adverse conditions it begins to quickly break down, losing its properties.
Application
In the food industry, chlorophyll is used precisely as a dye. With it, food is colored green, including all its shades.
The E140 index can be seen on the labels:
- dairy products and desserts containing milk;
- drinks;
- sauces and mayonnaise;
- fruit preserves and jellies.
Even if the manufacturer decided to reduce the cost of production and used a synthetic dye in the manufacturing process, you should not be afraid of the E140 additive. Even if we assume that during the synthesis there were violations of the technology and there are harmful additional substances in the additive, then their inclusion is so insignificant that they are guaranteed not to cause harm to health.
This dye is actively used not only in production, but also in the home kitchen. With it, you can prepare bright and beautiful sweets, jellies, drinks and sauces without fear for the safety of the finished product.
The nutritional value
Chlorophyll is a natural dye that is harmless to human health. Moreover, according to the results of recent studies, the food supplement has pronounced anti-carcinogenic properties.
In other words, the regular use of the E140 supplement increases the protective properties of the body in the fight against cancer cells. The ability of chlorophyll to accelerate the elimination of toxins from the body was discovered several decades ago. That is why E140 is an essential component of many dietary supplements and mineral-vitamin complexes.
Influence on the body
Chlorophyll can be quite confidently called a useful substance for the human body. And although today there are still disputes about the strength of the effect of the supplement on the body, there is no doubt about its usefulness. Only the degree of influence remains undetermined.
Be that as it may, today we can say that the E140 dye frees the body of toxins, increases protective functions and prevents the development of cancer cells.
Since the structure of chlorophyll is as close as possible to heme, although it cannot completely replace this important blood component, it contributes to a better supply of oxygen to all organs and systems.
People suffering from hypertension and disorders of the cardiovascular system should not deny themselves the pleasure of eating healthy desserts containing natural dye more often. After a certain period of time, an improvement in the general condition will be noted. Also, this component is very useful for everyone who is at risk of urolithiasis.
Additionally, E140 is a powerful antioxidant that effectively cleanses the blood of free radicals and prevents premature aging of the body. This ability is actively used in pharmacology – many vitamin and prophylactic preparations are made on the basis of the additive.
Creams, ointments and sprays for healing wounds and burns, which have a pronounced green color, also contain chlorophyll. In this case, the substance is not used as a dye, but as the main active ingredient. This food concentrate also perfectly absorbs organic odors, including the smell of human sweat, so it can be used in the production of deodorants and talcs.
If we talk about the negative impact of the E140 additive on the body, then a synthetic dye of not very high quality falls under the scope. Third-party impurities formed during manufacture can cause allergic skin reactions.