Comparison of General Test Methods of Various Organs on Synthetic Food Colors

An analytical method of nine synthetic foods colors in Korea, Japan, Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA), and USA were compared. Contents of water insoluble matter in synthetic food colors tested were not different by general test methods of various organs. Contents of chloride and sulfate salts in Food Green No.3, Food Red No.3, Food Blue No.2, and Food Yellow No.4 slightly differed in various methods, and but up to the standard, and general test methods of JECFA and USA needed far more time. For the measurement of arsenic contents in food colors, colorimetric method in Korea and Japan, and silver diethyldithiocarbamate colorimetric method in USA and JECFA were used, but the standards of them were different. Content of heavy metals was up to the standard, but the methods were used colorimetric method in Korea, atomic absorption method in Japan, and both methods in JECFA and USA.