Colour Glossary

An insoluble pigment made by adsorbing a soluble dye onto an insoluble substrate. FD&C lakes are made by adsorping FD&C dyes onto a substrate of alumina hydrate. The resulting pigment is dispersed throughout the food product rather than dissolved into it.

A term referring to a group of lipids/fatty acids that occur naturally in animal and plant tissues. Lecithin is often used as an emulsifier or lubricant in the food industry. Most common sources of lecithin used by the food industry are from soy and sunflower oils.

An aqueous or oil soluble liquid form of colourants.

An identifying number assigned by the FDA to a batch of certified colour upon completion of certification.

Lutein occurs in green plants and petals of various flowers such as Tagetes erecta L. Lutein is a type of carotenoid with the main colouring principle being Lutein and its fatty acid esters providing a yellow to orange-red shade. Other name: E161b. See also Carotenoids.

A red carotenoid pigment that is found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as grapefruit, and watermelon. Natural lycopene is extracted from red tomatoes: by extracting the tomato pulp, a concentrated lycopene oleoresin can be obtained. Other names: E160d, C.I. No. 75125.