“Artificial colour” on a label means a synthetic colouring: a dye made by chemical synthesis rather than extracted from plants, insects or minerals. Synthetic colours are bright, stable to heat and light and inexpensive, so a tiny amount gives a cracker, wafer or filling the same shade batch after batch. The label normally names each one with its INS number.
The ones seen most on SeekSnack are tartrazine (INS 102, lemon yellow), sunset yellow FCF (INS 110, orange), brilliant blue FCF (INS 133) and erythrosine (INS 127, pink-red). Some labels also file synthetic beta-carotene (INS 160a(i)) under this heading, even though the molecule itself also occurs in nature.
All of these are permitted under Codex within set limits. In the EU, foods containing tartrazine, sunset yellow or four other colours must carry the warning “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”. Party Crispy Pie - Corn Cheese is one snack that lists both INS 102 and INS 110.
