천연색소 코치닐(Cochineal)의 개발과 안전성

Developmemt of a natural Food Colorant, Cochineal Extract, and its Safety

The meanings, classification, and regulatory status of 'natural food colorants' are discussed. Nowadays the technological advances for processing Cochineal color is flourishing here and aboard, makes highly concentrated products (e.g., 95% Carminic acid) is comercially available. Application of carminic acid for a food system needs target-specific formulation, mixing with alumn, tartaric acid, and other salts to stabilize the color hue in food system. On the other hand, carmine, the aluminium-lake of carminic acid, is more convenient product to be used and would give more strong color. Of these reasons Carmine is much popular product than Cochineal extract in Western and European countries. We insist that carmine should be also certified as natural colorant together with Cochineal extract in Korea. Authors expect that several kinds of anthraquinone colorant (Lac and Kermes) would be introduced in Korean market in near furture.