Helal ve Etik Araştırmalar Dergisi

Yazarlar: Erdoğan KÜÇÜKÖNER

Konular:Gıda Bilimi ve Teknolojisi

Anahtar Kelimeler:Cochineal,Carmine,Shellac,Halal status

Özet: Food additives are the substances that added intentionally to foodstuffs to perform certain technological functions, for instance; to add color, to sweeten or to help preserve foods. People associate certain colors with certain flavors, and color of the food can influence the perceived taste and flavor in any food materials. For this reason, food manufacturers try to add these dyes to their foods, because some studies showed positive relations between the color and flavor. The cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) is an insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the crimson-colored dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite inhabited in tropical/subtropical region, this insect lives on cacti from the genus Opuntia, benefiting the plant’s moisture and nutrients. It is used in foods, textile and cosmetics dye as a natural coloring agent. Shellac is also an animal product. The basic material comes from the Coccus lacca, a scale insect that feeds on certain trees. After feeding, the insect produces through its pores a gummy substance which hardens into a protective covering called lac. This lac is collected and then crushed, washed and dried. After further treatment, it is skillfully drawn into thin sheets of finished shellac. Especially insect, such as E120-carmin, and E904(Kosnil: Dactylopius coccus and Shellac: Coccus lacca) are used as coloring agents, paint edible film, or coating on the food sector. In this study, after giving detailed information about cochineal (carmine) and shellac, their halal status was evaluated as food additive.

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