What are Coloring Foods?

The term defines a specific group of food ingredients which are used for imparting color to food and drink products and are not classified as food additives (color additives) within the EU. Coloring Foods are defined by the “European Guidance Notes on the classification of extracts with colouring properties (Ver. 1 of 29th November 2013)” as follows:

Coloring Foods should comply with the following principles:

  • Purpose of use – Coloring Foods are typically used for the primary purpose of coloring.
  • Source Material – The source material(s) used for the manufacturing of ‘Coloring Foods’ should be a food or a characteristic ingredient of food which is normally consumed as such within the EU.
  • Processing – Any process applied to the source raw material should not result in selective extraction based on the selective extraction criteria of the EU Guidance Notes.