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HOW TO DYE EASTER EGGS IN A HEALTHY AND INTERESTING WAY?

Easter traditions

The practice of dyeing eggs is one of the Easter traditions. During the pre-holiday period, dyes are available in almost every grocery shop. Their availability and ease of use make them a popular choice among consumers. Children especially enjoy the opportunity to dip eggs in coloured dye solutions, giving them a variety of colours. Therefore, the safety of this type of food additive is important. Thus, what do popular egg dyes contain, and are these substances considered safe for human health?

Symbols

You will notice various symbols starting with the letter E when looking at product labels. These symbols can include both natural products and synthetic chemical compounds. The following substances are often used in egg dyeing formulas:

E102 Tartrazine: a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye;

E110 Sunset Yellow FCF: a synthetic azo dye used as an orange colorant;

E122 Azorubine: a reddish-brown synthetic azo dye;

E124 Cochineal red A: a synthetic azo dye produced from carminic acid, abundant in female cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus);

E133 Brilliant Blue FCF: a synthetic azo dye, used as a blue colorant.

They have all been approved for use in food and daily safe intake standards have been set for them. They are present in different types of food such as sweets, biscuits, breakfast cereals, cold meats, sauces, beverages, ice cream, yogurt, and dairy drinks. They only provide an aesthetic element in food, giving products a more attractive look and improving consumer acceptance, but no flavour or health benefits. They may cause some undesirable effects for certain people who are more sensitive. For example, azo dyes such as tartrazine, sunset yellow, and azorubine, which contain nitrogen atoms bonded by a double bond, can provoke allergic reactions or aggravate asthma symptoms. There is also a link between their consumption and cases of hyperactivity in children. Brilliant blue can cause similar side effects. Cochineal, however, contains a protein derived from insects, which can cause allergic reactions in people who are hypersensitive to this substance, and there have even been cases of anaphylactic shock.

Natural Dyes

The best option is to choose natural dyes. Colours will vary depending on the colour of the eggshell, how the colouring process is carried out, and the type of colouring agent: those in onion skins (amber to dark brown), in beetroot (pink), in hibiscus infusion (lavender), in turmeric (yellow), in red cabbage stock (blue), in turmeric with red cabbage (green). Preparing Easter eggs in this manner can have slightly less saturated colours and sometimes even unexpected colours, which can also be part of the family fun.

Egg freshness is essential

The other important issue is to ensure that eggs are fresh and stored properly. Before cooking, it is useful to test an egg’s freshness by dipping it in cold water. The freshest eggs lie horizontally on the bottom of the pot, while the spoiled ones float near the surface of the water. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, once eggs have been cooked and coloured, it is recommended to store them at a chilled temperature to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Prepared by mgr Małgorzata Chobot – Szkoła Doktorska SGGW

Source:

  1. Miller, M. D., Steinmaus, C., Golub, M. S., Castorina, R., Thilakartne, R., Bradman, A., & Marty, M. A. (2022). Potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children: a review of the human and animal evidence.Environmental Health, 21(1), 45.
  2. Namlı, H., & Bişgin, A. T. (2024). Simultaneous deep eutectic solvent based microextraction for monitoring Brilliant blue and rhodamine B in foodstuff and industrial samples.Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 127, 105980.
  3. Pay, R., Sharrock, A. V., Elder, R., Maré, A., Bracegirdle, J., Torres, D., … & Harvey, J. E. (2023). Preparation, analysis and toxicity characterisation of the redox metabolites of the azo food dye tartrazine.Food and Chemical Toxicology, 182, 114193.
  4. Rambler, R. M., Rinehart, E., Boehmler, W., Gait, P., Moore, J., Schlenker, M., & Kashyap, R. (2022). A Review of the Association of Blue Food Coloring with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Children.Cureus, 14(9).
  5. Rovina, K., Prabakaran, P. P., Siddiquee, S., & Shaarani, S. M. (2016). Methods for the analysis of Sunset Yellow FCF (E110) in food and beverage products-a review.TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 85, 47-56.
  6. Takeo, N., Nakamura, M., Nakayama, S., Okamoto, O., Sugimoto, N., Sugiura, S., … & Matsunaga, K. (2018). Cochineal dye-induced immediate allergy: review of Japanese cases and proposed new diagnostic chart.Allergology International, 67(4), 496-505.
  7. Rozporządzenie Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady (WE) Nr 1333/2008 z dnia 16 grudnia 2008 r. w sprawie dodatków do żywności.
  8. Amerykańska Agencja ds. Żywności i Leków https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-egg-safety. Dostęp od 5.03.2024 r.