E132 - Indigotine, Indigo Carmine

Author: Karen Lennox Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)

Characteristics: Indigotine is a food supplement, colorant. It is a synthetic substance in the form of powder or granules with a dark blue color. It dissolves well in water and forms a blue solution. It exists

Characteristic

Indigotine is a food supplement, colorant. It is a synthetic substance in the form of powder or granules with a dark blue color. It dissolves well in water and forms a blue solution. There is a natural source of the dye and it is the indigo plant that grows in India, Africa, America. Earlier, E 132 was obtained from its leaves and stems, and today - through the synthesis of phenylglycine and sodium azide.

The additive is characterized by high sensitivity to light. In combination with other colors, the following colors are obtained: green, purple, brown and black. Refers to medium hazardous chemicals.

Use

The colorant E 132 is used in the food industry for coloring soft drinks, which are produced in glass bottles; and ice cream. It is added in the production of biscuits, cakes, confectionery, desserts. In combination with other colorants it is used for coloring liqueurs. The maximum amount of the substance should not exceed 0.5 g / kg. In addition, indigotine is widely used in pharmaceuticals (for coloring capsules and tablets), in medical tests (when checking kidney function), in cosmetics (in the production of hair conditioners), in the textile industry (for dyeing wool, silk and cotton), used to make inks.

Impact on humans

E 132 adversely affects the human body because it causes, above all, allergic reactions and shortness of breath. If the technological process is disturbed, the substance has a negative effect, causing discomfort, nausea, impaired heart function.

Indigo carmine is thought to be carcinogenic, but tests on rats do not confirm this. The substance was added to the animal feed (2 g / kg), after which no mutation was observed. Therefore, the additive is approved for use in many countries, but in small quantities.

E132 - Indigotine, Indigo Carmine

CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)

Characteristic

Use

Impact on humans

Related Articles