Color Glossary

Part of the nomenclature for a class of certified colorants in the USA. Colorants with this name are generally allowed for use in drugs and cosmetic applications.
D&C Red 7
See Lithol rubine.
D&C Yellow 10
See Quinoline yellow.
Term used to describe a colorant that has been removed from a country’s approved list of allowed colorants.
A purification process to remove off-flavor compounds from plant-based color sources. Deodorization allows for additional colorants to be used in food applications, where traditionally their flavor or odor would have been undesirable.
A suspension of insoluble colorants in a fluid medium. A dispersion can simplify the addition of color to a food during processing and allow for full coloring strength to be achieved.
A soluble colorant that shows full coloring power only after dissolution. Some synthetic dyes will appear as a different color in their powder form until solubilized in an appropriate application.