Colour (120)
Kim Veller
In European markets, the Spanish Crown had a monopoly on cochineal until 1820 when the French learned to cultivate them. Later, German and British scientists created a synthetic red dye that competed with carmine. The combination of these factors contributed to the end of the Spanish monopoly and considerably lowered the price of carmine, making it accessible to a wider audience.[citation needed]
The pigment is produced from carminic acid, which is extracted from some scale insects such as the cochineal scale (Prima), and certain Porphyrophora species (Armenian cochineal and Polish cochineal). Attempts have been made to farm cochineal.
To prepare carmine, the powdered scale insect bodies are boiled in an ammonia or sodium carbonate solution. After separating the insoluble matter, the extract is treated with alum to precipitate the red solid. This precipitate is called "carmine lake" or "crimson lake". Purity of color is ensured by the absence of iron. Stannous chloride, citric acid, borax, or gelatin may be added to modify the precipitation. The traditional crimson color is affected not only by carminic acid but also by choice of its chelating metal salt ion. For shades of purple, lime is added to the alum.[11][12]
Carmine was also used by nineteenth-century artists such as Vincent van Gogh in Bedroom in Arles (1889). The floor of the bedroom is painted with carmine cochineal lake, geranium lake and indigo. This produced a reddish color, which over time changed to blueish.[19]
In January 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated a proposal that would require food products containing carmine to list it by name on the ingredient label.[25] It was also announced that the FDA will separately review the ingredient labels of prescription drugs that contain colorings derived from carmine. A request from the Center for Science in the Public Interest urging the FDA to require ingredient labels to explicitly state that carmine is derived from insects and may cause severe allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock was declined by the FDA.[26][27] Food industries were aggressively opposed to the idea of writing "insect-based" on the label, and the FDA agreed to allow "cochineal extract" or "carmine".[28]
In the European Union (EU), the use of carmine in foods is regulated under the European Commission's directives governing food additives in general[29][30] and food dyes in particular[31] and listed under the names Cochineal, Carminic acid, Carmines and Natural Red 4 as additive E 120 in the list of EU-approved food additives.[32] The directive governing food dyes approves the use of carmine for certain groups of foods only[33] and specifies a maximum amount which is permitted or restricts it to the quantum satis.[citation needed]
The EU-Directive 2000/13/EC[34] on food labeling mandates that carmines (like all food additives) must be included in the list of ingredients of a food product with its additive category and listed name or additive number, that is either as Food colour carmines or as Food colour E 120 in the local language(s) of the market(s) the product is sold in.[citation needed]
As of January 2012[update], EFSA has changed the way they allow use of Carmine E120 for pharmaceutical products. The EFSA had raised concerns over the increasing number of allergic reactions to carmine derived from insects (E120.360), when used within the British Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical products which had previously contained insect-derived carmine, have been replaced with a synthesized version of the food colorant. Internal studies have shown that the new formulations of popular anti-nausea and weight-gain liquid medication had a significantly lower risk in terms of allergic reactions.[citation needed] The new formulation is known to be of plant origin, using calcium oxide to gauge color depth.[further explanation needed]
On 13 June, it was reported in the media that a consignment of European chocolate had been apprehended in China because it contained this colouring. The EFSA has likewise investigated possible allergic reactions to E120. Hyperactivity in children is said to be another possible side effect.
3. Can the Commission investigate whether Directive 2003/89/EC does not require consumers to be provided with information about the origin of this colouring by means of product labelling, particularly in the interests of transparency for consumers?
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Cochineal is made from the bodies of dried pregnant scale insects which feed on cacti in Central America. An extract from the cochineal insects is combined with aluminium to form carminic acid, also known as carmine.
This colour is regarded as safe from the food intolerance point of view - there have been no reports of behavioural reactions to it. However, there are rare but increasing reports of true allergic reactions - including urticaria, asthma, vomiting, diarrhoea and anaphylaxis - to the proteins in the insects. True allergy also known as IgE-mediated allergy or type 1 allergy is a reaction to the proteins in foods as opposed to food intolerance which is a reaction to the chemicals in foods.
Cochineal is used increasingly in foods and cosmetics as artificial colours are phased out. As its use increases, the number of reports of allergic reactions to the insect proteins in cochineal are increasing, see reports in Scientific References below.
My daughter (now 10) is extremely sensitive to cochineal 120. She develops a rash on her face that extends from under her eyes to around the jaw line. It is a raised, red rash that feels like "sand under the skin". There is noticeable facial swelling also. This occurs within a few minutes of ingestion and lasts for a couple of days. We had great difficulty pinpointing the cause until she had some Breaka strawberry milk. The only thing that could it could have been was the cochineal 120. We confirmed this ourselves by placing 1 drop of cochineal into a drink and she responded with a small amount immediately. An allergist has confirmed that she should avoid this colour. She had a few severe episodes as a young child that involved total head to toe rash and many family photos look like she has a fat face and is sunburned. We now recognize this as a reaction.
We are finding a huge increase in the number of foods that contain 120, many have wording stating no artificial colours. We read labels where at all possible and try to make safer choices otherwise. This is getting increasingly difficult. We try to make our daughter responsible for her diet otherwise she tends to resent the policing of it. Grandparents and friends are struggling with the different labeling also. For example in a particular brand of fruit cup cordial, colours are listed as beta carotene and carmine. I had concerns about the carmine, believing it to be a red colour and found it is another label for cochineal 120.
I am allergic to cochineal otherwise known as e120 or carmine. My reactions are anaphylactic! I always keep antihistamine with me since my first few attacks. I have been admitted to the emergency ward approx 4 times before I worked out what I was allergic to. READ FULL STORY
Zenaidi M and others, Allergy to food colouring. A prospective study in ten children [Article in French]Tunis Med. 2005;83(7):414-8. Service de Gastro-entrologie et Nutrition Pdiatriques, Hpital d'enfants Armand Trousseau, Paris, France.
Tabar AI and others, Asthma and allergy due to carmine dye [Article in Spanish] An Sist Sanit Navar. 2003;26 Suppl 2:65-73. Servicio de Alergologa, Hospital Virgen del Camino, Pamplona.
The information given is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor for underlying illness. Before beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food intolerance. You can see our list of experienced and supportive dietitians
Our 120 Half stick set, specially selected by Unison Colour. This set contains smaller pastels but offers a wider range of colour choice. Unison Colour Soft pastels allow for ease of use with a highly blendable texture.
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Works similarly to a traditional colour enlarger for printing from colour negatives. You change the colour balance by adjusting the dials for cyan, magenta and yellow then focus and set the time. The light on the LED screen also turns off in colour printing mode.
The Intrepid Enlarger does not come with a lens so you will need to purchase one before your kit arrives. The good news is, enlarger lenses are very affordable and easy to find, you can pick up a great condition secondhand lens for between 10-60.
The Intrepid Enlarger has a mount for M39 enlarger lenses, which is the most common enlarger lens thread size. If you want to make prints from different film formats you may need a couple of lenses. Check the list below for guidance on focal lengths.
It matches the results of a traditional enlarger whilst being a fraction of the size and price. Meaning you can turn pretty much any space no matter how small into a darkroom, and when you are done printing you can pack it all away!