Topic: Should I Use Artificial Food Colourings?

[Bobby Bhuna]

Good evening curry lovers. I was just reading a tempting recipe for Pakora and it reminded me of something I've been wondering about for a while.

I have two little 1 inch plastic jars of food colouring that I use sparingly (I use them mostly when I'm making curry / drinking beer at the same time if you know what I mean :)

Basically my questions are these:

a) When used appropriately, how much do you think that the use of food colouring enhances the enjoyment of a meal?

and

b) How bad for your health is it?

[Jethro]

I only use food colouring for pilau rice, I never use it for main dishes.
The reasons are, I don't like artificial additives and if you look at authentic Indian recipes they do not use them (the colour should be imparted by the spice mix), but thats me being old fashioned. 

[Bobby Bhuna]

I like your opinion Jethro, I always get a feel good factor when all my ingredients are fresh and wholesome, even the tomatoes from the base sauce. It really gives me the sense of achievement that I have created something containing no synthesised products.

[Cory Ander]

Hi RB,

There have been a number of discussions on the use of food colouring, this link might be helpful:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1341.msg11933#msg11933

Food colouring should generally be used sparingly (but I know it's not in the pakora recipe you are referring to!  )

There is no doubt, in my opinion, that food colourings vastly improve the APPEARANCE of food.  Used sparingly, it will not alter the taste one iota (for the better of for the worse). 

People need to make up there own minds, if it's harmful or not, by considering the available evidence. 

For me, my chicken tikka is always going to be bright orange/red and not an insipid cream colour...until sometime proves it will kill me!