As of August 2014 the use of aluminium containing colors such as Carmine (E120) will be prohibited in certain foodstuffs within in the EU. Mainly affected are ice cream and related applications as stated in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 380/2012. This is due to ongoing safety concerns regarding the intake of dietary aluminium and in this respect the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reduced the recommended lower tolerable weekly intake for aluminium in 2008.
Last year, the EU Commission adopted the new regulation on the use of aluminium containing additives.
In order to fulfill the upcoming requirements, ice cream manufacturers have to review their formulations and to look for alternative solutions. “There is no need for carmine or any other aluminium containing colours anymore. Colouring Foods are the natural and healthy alternative. By using them, manufacturers are on the safe side”, says Dr Hendrik Hoeck, Managing Director of GNT Group, a leading global provider of Colouring Foods. “In addition, Colouring Foods meet the growing consumers demand for attractive but healthy colours and are suitable for the production of vegetarian, kosher and halal foods”, adds Dr Hoeck.
GNT’s Colouring Foods which are marketed worldwide under the brand name EXBERRY are made from edible fruits, vegetables and plants. They are processed using gentle physical methods such as pressing, chopping and filtering, in their processing water is used to give the resulting concentrates where the pigments have not been selectively extracted. Artificial additives, chemicals or organic solvents are not used. Consequently, Colouring Foods are not additives but rather foods with colouring properties. They are edible at all stages of production. It is not necessary to declare E-numbers or make warning statements on the final product label. Instead, Colouring Foods can be declared as follows: Colouring Food (concentrate of pumpkin, carrot). This consumer-friendly and transparent labelling provides information on the origin of the Colouring Food at a glance and makes clear that the colour comes from food.
