EP4236695A1

EP4236695A1 - Foodstuffs containing iron and coloured with santalin, methods for the production thereof, and use of santalin for colouring foodstuffs containing iron

Info

Publication number: EP4236695A1
Application number: EP21786923.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andreas Klingenberg; Camilla SIMONIN
Original assignee: Sensient Technologies Europe GmbH
Current assignee: Sensient Technologies Europe GmbH
Priority date: 2020-10-29
Filing date: 2021-10-05
Publication date: 2023-09-06
Also published as: WO2022089884A9; DE102020128449A1; WO2022089884A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to foodstuffs containing iron in a quantity of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the foodstuff, wherein the foodstuff contains santalin, wherein the foodstuff and the santalin are present as a mixture. The invention relates, in particular, to foodstuffs of this kind also containing legumes. The present invention additionally relates to methods for producing foodstuffs of this kind and to uses of santalin for colouring foodstuffs containing iron.

Description

Ferrous foods colored with santalin, process for their preparation and use of santalin for coloring ferrous foods

introduction

The present invention relates to foodstuffs containing iron in an amount of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the foodstuff. In particular, the invention relates to such foodstuffs which additionally contain legumes. In addition, the present invention relates to processes for preparing such foods and uses of Santalin to color iron-containing foods.

State of the art

Consumers are becoming increasingly critical of the quality and origin of food. Foods that do not contain natural ingredients are being rejected by an increasing number of consumers. Even when it comes to natural foods, consumers are becoming increasingly critical, which can be easily seen from the growing number of vegetarians and vegans. Approved food additives are often rejected if they are not of natural origin. Because many food additives are man-made in the eyes of some consumers, they have all fallen into disrepute. Manufacturers are therefore increasingly trying to bring foods onto the market that do not contain any food additives that are subject to labelling.

However, the use of natural dyes declined sharply with the discovery of chemically produced dyes in the 19th century. Many of the well-known natural dyes are also unsuitable for coloring food because they are either toxic or do not meet modern standards in terms of shade, color strength, color stability and the like. It is therefore difficult to find suitable natural colorants that are suitable for use in food. Vegetarians and vegans often consume substitute products whose properties are reminiscent of meat products, sausage products or dairy products, but do not contain any animal components. Such products often contain legumes to meet consumers' protein needs. In particular, consumers prefer meat substitutes that are reminiscent of conventional meat products in terms of consistency, color and processability. For example, soy burgers, vegetable patties and the like are an integral part of vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Meat imitations ("Novel Protein Food") often try to imitate meat and meat products in the most deceptive way possible. Such products contribute to the diversity of vegetarian and vegan cuisine and convey in particular to consumers who only partially enjoy vegetarian or vegan cuisine, or to vegetarians and vegans who have consumed meat products, sausage products or dairy products in the past feel that they don't have to go without anything.

It is a particular challenge for food manufacturers to produce meat-free products that have the color of raw or roasted meat. However, this is of great importance for the success of meat substitutes on the market.

object of the invention

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide foods which are colored by means of natural dyes and whose color resembles the color of raw meat. Furthermore, it is the object of the present invention to provide foods which have a red-violet color or whose color is influenced by a red-violet dye. Another object of the present invention is to provide a colorant useful for coloring foods containing legumes. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the production of such foodstuffs and to show the use of suitable colorants for coloring foodstuffs. Description of the invention

The present invention is based on the finding that in foods containing iron in an amount of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the food, santalin takes on a red-purple color reminiscent of the color of raw meat. One embodiment of the present invention is therefore a foodstuff which contains iron in an amount of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the foodstuff, the foodstuff containing santalin and the foodstuff and the santalin being present as a mixture. In such foods, the Santalin takes on a red-purple color, coloring the food. Foods that are colourless, white or only slightly colored are given a red-purple color similar to the color of meat or red grapes. The color is therefore not only suitable for giving food a color reminiscent of meat, but can also imitate the color impression of red fruits or the like.

The iron in the foods according to the invention preferably comes entirely from animal or vegetable sources. This corresponds to the wishes of consumers who want to avoid non-natural additives in food. Furthermore, the iron is preferably derived entirely from vegetable sources. This meets the needs of vegetarians and vegans. Furthermore, it is preferred that the iron comes entirely from the food or from all of the food contained in the food. In other words, the foods according to the invention are preferably foods which themselves have a sufficiently high natural iron content to give Santalin a red-violet color. For example, legumes contain large amounts of iron. When added to another food in sufficient quantity, these can impart enough iron to the food to give Santalin the desired red-purple color. This is shown in detail in the examples below.

Furthermore, the foods according to the invention preferably contain no meat, particularly preferably no animal products at all. Very particularly preferably, these only contain plant products. The foods according to the invention also preferably contain no fish and in particular no salmon. Vegetarian and especially vegan foods, but also other foods, often contain legumes and/or their protein mixtures. This is often to meet the protein needs of consumers, particularly vegetarians and vegans. In addition to a large amount of protein, legumes also contain relatively large amounts of iron. Santalin is therefore particularly suitable for giving a red-violet color to foods containing legumes. It is enough to add Santalin to such foods to achieve the desired coloring. Foods according to the invention which contain legumes are therefore preferred. Among the legumes, legumes selected from the group consisting of soya, peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, lupins and peanuts are particularly suitable. Legumes selected from the group consisting of peas and soya are very particularly preferred.

Protein-containing mixtures obtained from legumes are sold commercially as so-called protein powders, protein flours or protein concentrates. These can be added to a wide variety of foods. They are usually used to increase protein content. As a rule, such protein mixtures also contain large amounts of iron, which originate from the legumes. A further preferred embodiment of the present foods is therefore characterized in that it comprises proteins from legumes. The foods according to the invention particularly preferably contain a protein preparation selected from the group consisting of protein powder, protein flour and protein concentrates from legumes. Very particular preference is given to those protein preparations which contain proteins from legumes, the legumes being selected from the group consisting of soya, peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, lupins and peanuts. Those protein preparations which contain proteins from legumes are very particularly preferred, the legumes being selected from the group consisting of peas and soybeans.

The nature of the foods of the present invention is described below. The foods are preferably selected from the group consisting of confectionery, desserts, cereals, baked goods, pasta, soups, sauces, fillings, dairy products, ice cream, spreads, beverages, meat, meat substitutes, sausage, sausage substitutes, milk and milk substitutes. A foodstuff according to the invention which is selected from the group consisting of meat shear substitutes, sausage substitutes and milk substitutes, where the food contains legumes. Among the milk products, yoghurt and quark are particularly preferred. Among the desserts, dessert creams, fillings and creams used in cakes or desserts are particularly preferred.

According to the invention, the food is present as a mixture of said food and Santalin. It is preferred that the foodstuffs according to the invention are not in "one piece", they particularly preferably contain no solids, in particular those whose diameter, measured on the longest side, is more than 1 cm. The term "in one piece" is present to understand that the food has only one coherent outer surface on which e.g. B. the colorant is scattered. Provision is preferably made for a homogeneous coloration to occur on the foodstuff through appropriate distribution of the colorant. This homogeneous distribution is not guaranteed in the foodstuffs mentioned that are "in one piece". The foodstuff according to the invention can therefore preferably be in the form of a powder, granules, liquid, with the liquid being a solution, a dispersion or an emulsion, jelly or paste , but not as a pure solid.

Meat substitute products or meat substitutes are foods that are similar to meat or foods made from meat in terms of taste, feel, appearance or protein content. Vegetarian meat substitutes and vegan meat substitutes are preferred. Vegetarian meat substitutes contain no meat. Vegan meat substitutes contain no animal-derived substances at all. The meat substitute can be, for example, vegetarian or vegan steaks, hamburgers, meatballs, chops, escalopes, sausages, cold cuts, veggie burgers, vegetable patties and the like. Sausage substitute products are foods that are similar in taste, feel, appearance or protein content to sausage products made from meat and animal fat. Milk substitutes or milk substitute products are foodstuffs that are similar to milk or milk products in terms of taste or appearance and in terms of fat or protein content, without being made from them. Among the milk substitutes, substitutes for yoghurt and quark are particularly preferred. Equally suitable for the present invention, however, are substitute products for food that are selected from the group consisting of cheese, Kefir, all kinds of milk, cream and butter as long as they contain at least 0.5 mg/kg iron.

The beverages are preferably milk substitutes. Milk substitutes are generally vegan foods that do not contain any animal ingredients. Examples of such products are, for example, protein drinks such as soy drink, pea drink, almond drink, rice drink and oat drink. The term protein drink etc. is also used for such products. These products are not referred to as "protein milk" etc. because the term "milk" is reserved for animal products in the EU. However, the present invention can also be used in fruit juices, alcoholic beverages and all other types of beverages as long as they contain at least 0.5 mg/kg of iron.

Among all foods described herein, those containing legumes are preferred. Foods according to the invention which are a substitute product which contains legumes and are selected from substitute products for foods from the group consisting of drinks (in particular milk), yoghurt, quark and ice cream are particularly preferred.

The iron in the foods according to the invention is preferably the amount of the natural iron content of the respective food. At levels of less than 0.5 mg per kilogram of food, the coloring effect is usually small. Therefore, foods which have a natural iron content of 0.5 mg per kilogram of the food or more are preferably used in the present invention. However, the iron content can also be changed and adjusted by mixing foods with different iron contents. In particular, the iron content of foods can be increased by adding one or more high-iron foods to a low-iron food. In particular, the legumes mentioned above and/or their protein products can be used as foods with a high iron content. The legumes and proteins of legumes mentioned there as preferred are preferred. An iron content of at least 0.6 mg per kilogram of the food is preferred. A content of at least 0.7 mg per kilogram of the food is particularly preferred and a content of at least 1 mg per kilogram of the food is very particularly preferred. Even more preferred is a Level of at least 3 mg per kilogram of foodstuff and most preferred is a level of at least 5 mg per kilogram of foodstuff. Iron is present in food in the form of its ions Fe ²⁺ or Fe ³⁺ . It is usually present as Fe ³⁺ . The iron content of foods within the meaning of this application is determined as indicated in the examples.

The amount of Santalin in the food according to the invention influences the color tone and the chroma (brightness) of the food. Both parameters are influenced by the iron content at the same time. Santalin forms complexes with iron that produce the desired reddish-violet color. When the amount of iron is small, it is preferable to use no more than the stoichiometric amount to form the iron complex. At the stoichiometric amount, the hue of the santaline matches the hue of the complex and the maximum chroma at that hue is reached. Smaller amounts of Santalin can give a different hue as this also depends on the color properties of the food itself. In this way, different mixed tones can be set between the color of the food and the color of the Santalin. If more santalin is used than the stoichiometric amount, no additional iron complex is formed and the extra santalin present, not bound in an iron-santalin complex, affects the hue of the food by its own hue, which is orange or red-orange. If the amount of iron is large, the chroma of the food can be varied over a wide range by varying the amount of santalin. The hue remains the same if the food itself is achromatic. If the food is colorful, mixed tones are created. As usual, the desired amount of Santalin must be determined for each food by making a series of the food with varying levels of Santalin and assessing the color tone obtained. Santalin is preferably used in an amount of 0.5 to 1000 mg santalin per kilogram of food, more preferably in an amount of 1 mg to 500 mg santalin per kilogram of food, most preferably in an amount of 3 mg to 250 mg santalin per kilogram of food and most preferably in an amount of 5 to 150 mg of santalin per kilogram of food.

Santalin can be used in the form of a coloring agent containing Santalin in the foods according to the invention or the methods according to the invention. In the context of this application, colorants containing santalin also include santalin itself. Santalin extracts are usually used as colorants containing santalin. Santalin is preferably used in the form of a redwood extract (from Pterocarpus soyausxii Taub.) or a redwood powder. Sandalwood extract (Pterocarpus santalinus, ext.; CAS No. 84650-41-9) and sandalwood powder (also CAS No. 84650-41-9) are also suitable. There are other products commercially available that are obtained from plants, especially trees, and contain Santalin. These are just as suitable as the products mentioned above. Particularly suitable is the "Red Spice Extract L-WS" from Sensient Technologies Europe GmbH, which has an extinction El% in ethanol at 507 nm of 9.5 to 10.7. Santalin and Santalin-containing colorants such as redwood extract, redwood powder, sandalwood extract or sandalwood powder and similar products are preferably used in an amount of 0.05 to 10 grams per kilogram of food, more preferably in an amount of 0.1 to 5 grams per kilogram of food, most preferably in an amount of 0.3 to 3 grams per kilogram of food and most preferably in an amount of from 0.5 to 2 grams per kilogram of food The santalin content of the extracts can be determined by measuring the El% values of the extracts at 507 nm in ethanol and by Comparison with the El% value of Santalin can be calculated using a simple rule of three.The Santalin content of the extracts can also be compared with one another using this method In the present invention, the numerical value of the factor from the amount used of a Santalin-containing colorant in grams and its absorbance El% in ethanol at 507 nm is preferably in a range from 1 to 50 per kilogram of the colored food, very particularly preferably in a range from 3 to 30 per kilogram of colored food and most preferably in a range of 5 to 20 per kilogram of colored food. The extinction is measured as described in the examples.

procedure

Another object of the present invention is a method for producing a foodstuff according to the invention, comprising the step of mixing at least two ingredients, of which the first ingredient contains at least iron and the second ingredient contains at least santalin. Since the food according to the invention contains at least 0.5 mg of iron per kilogram of the food according to the invention contains means, the ingredients for the mixing step must contain a total of so much iron that the food produced in this way contains at least 0.5 mg of iron per kilogram of the food produced according to the invention. Therefore, the sum of the iron contents of all ingredients of the food according to the invention corresponds to at least an iron content of the produced food of 0.5 mg per kilogram of the food.

The first ingredient can also contain santalin and/or the second ingredient can also contain iron. Preferably, the first ingredient is an iron-containing food and the second ingredient is santalin or a composition containing santalin. The composition containing Santalin can be, for example, a food or a food additive. It is preferably Santalin or a redwood extract or a sandalwood extract. The method according to the invention is therefore preferably a method according to the invention for the production of a foodstuff, comprising the step of mixing an iron-containing foodstuff with Santalin or a coloring agent containing Santalin, such as camwood extract, camwood powder, sandalwood extract or sandalwood powder. However, the composition containing the Santalin can be any other composition suitable for use in a food.

A method according to the invention for the production of a foodstuff is also preferred, in which the first ingredient contains at least 0.5 mg of iron per kilogram of the first ingredient.

The colors of the food produced will continue to change for up to 72 hours after production, but will then remain stable. Usually this is not a problem, since the color change is so small already 1 hour after production that the consumer can hardly notice it. However, the foodstuffs according to the invention can still be stored after production until there is no longer any color change. The latter can be determined from the change in the b values of the L.a. b-values are determined.

The methods according to the invention serve to produce the foods according to the invention. The information for the foodstuffs according to the invention therefore applies accordingly to the methods according to the invention. The same applies to the information about the Santalin used and all other information about the food. use

A further object of the present invention is the use of Santalin for coloring foodstuffs which contain iron in an amount of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the foodstuff. The use of Santalin for coloring foods containing legumes is preferred. Particularly preferred is the use of Santalin for coloring foods containing proteins from legumes selected from the group consisting of soy, peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, lupins and peanuts. The use of Santalin for coloring foods that are selected from the group consisting of confectionery, cereals, baked goods, pasta, soups, sauces, yoghurt, quark, ice cream, spreads, drinks, vegetarian meat substitutes, vegan meat substitutes, vegetarian is very particularly preferred Dairy substitutes and vegan dairy substitutes.

The uses according to the invention serve to produce the foods according to the invention. The information for the foodstuffs according to the invention therefore applies accordingly to the methods according to the invention. The same applies to the information about the Santalin used and all other information about the food.

Examples:

Measurement methods:

The L.a.b. Values were measured with the Konica Minolta CM-700d spectrophotometer with the parameters "10° / D65 / SCI". The iron content of the food was determined according to EN ISO 11885 (2009-09).

The extinction El% (507) of Santalin and Santalin-containing colorants including Santalin-containing extracts is determined as follows:

Approximately 80 mg of the extracts are weighed into a 100 mL volumetric flask and the volumetric flask is then made up to 100 mL volume with ethanol. The adsorption of this solution is measured at 507 nm using a VIS spectrometer at a layer thickness (thickness of the cuvette) of 1 cm. The absorbance of a 1% solution is then calculated according to the following equation: El% (507) = A/c, where A = absorbance and c = concentration of the extract in the solution in g/100 ml.

Ingredients:

"Red Spice Extract L-WS" from Sensient Technologies Europe GmbH, Geesthacht, Germany; "Alpro Soy Soy Drink Original with Calcium" from Vandemoortele, Ghent, Belgium (hereinafter referred to as "Alpro Soy"); "Soy Drink unsweetened" from Company Alnatura Production and Trading GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany; Nutralys T70S-EXP Textured Pea Protein from Roquette.

Example 1:

Eight beakers, each with 100 ml of whole milk (cow's milk) were placed and 0.1 g of "Red Spice Extract L-WS" (equivalent to 1 g per kilogram of the sample; El% = 10) were dispersed homogeneously in it. A first solution of iron (II l)chloride in demineralized water with a concentration of Fe ³⁺ ions of 0.205 milligrams of iron per milliliter of solution was prepared From this a second 10-fold diluted solution was prepared Four of the eight beakers were made 0.25 g, 0.5 g, 1.0 g and 2.0 g of the diluted solution and to another four of the eight beakers were added 0.5 g, 1.0 g, 2.0 g and 5.0 g of the undiluted solution was added The samples thus obtained contained 0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, 0.4 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg iron (II I) ions. This corresponds to approximately a doubling in each sample. The dilution effect caused by the addition of the iron solution was neglected here. Since the samples still changed slightly in the first 4 hours, they were left to stand at 4°C for 4 hours. Then, the La b values of the samples thus prepared were measured.

The iron content of the milk used was less than 0.5 mg iron per kilogram of milk. In the literature, 0.4 mg of iron per 1 kg of milk are generally given for cow's milk.

Figure 1 shows the eight different colors produced by the samples produced from left to right in ascending order of the amount of iron contained. As can be seen, pure cow's milk shows a pale orange color, which changes with The color of the two samples with the highest iron content of 4 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg iron(III) ions does not show any visible difference in coloration. Table 1 shows the La b values of the eight samples. Figures 2 to 4 show the L, a and b values as a function of the amount of iron added. As one can easily see, the L-values and the b-values change or decrease, while the a-values remain the same within the measurement uncertainty. The b values indicate a color shift from yellow to blue. With an addition of 4 mg/kg, saturation occurs and the b value no longer changes or no longer decreases. This appears to be the point where addition of iron does not cause additional formation of iron-santalin complex. At values of 0.05 to 1 mg/kg addition, which corresponds to about 0.5 mg/kg to 1.5 mg/kg iron content, the b value decreases sharply, indicating that essentially all added iron is in is converted into an iron-santaline complex in this concentration range. The L values indicate that the color is getting darker, which is to be expected given the blue shift.

Example 2:

Six samples were prepared, one consisting of whole milk (cow's milk) and one consisting of Alpro soya. Alpro Soy is a commercially available soy drink that contains soy proteins and has a measured iron content of 3.3 mg/kg Alpro Soy. Four mixtures of whole milk and Alpro soya were also prepared, the first containing 80%, the second 60%, the third 40% and the fourth 20% by weight whole milk, with the remainder being Alpro soya. These six samples were each mixed with "Red Spice Extract L-WS" (El%=10) so that they contained 1 g "Red Spice Extract L-WS" per kg of the respective sample. The LA b-values continued to change up to 72 hours after addition of "Red Spice Extract L-WS". The samples were therefore stored at 4 °C for 72 hours. The L.a. b-values of the samples were determined before addition and 72 hours after Addition of the "Red Spice Extract L-WS" measured.

Table 2 shows the percentage of whole milk and Alpro soya in the samples and the calculated iron content. This was calculated as the weighted average of the iron content in milk and Alpro soya. Furthermore, Table 2 shows the measured Lab values before the addition and 72 hours after the addition of the Red Spice Extract L-WS". The iron content increases from less than 0.5 to 3.3 mg/kg. Here too, as in example 1, the a-values hardly change with the iron content, neither without nor with Santalin. The b values are shown in Figure 5. It can be clearly seen that the b-values without Santalin (before addition) increase with increasing iron content This is due to the fact that the proportion of Alpro soya increases and Alpro soya has a yellower color than whole milk. It can also be clearly seen that the b value for pure whole milk (less than 0.5 mg/kg iron) increases when Santalin is added, showing that a value of less than 0.5 mg/kg iron, such as present in whole milk is not sufficient to convert Santalin into an iron-santalin complex in any significant quantity The Santalin therefore retains its colour, which is orange or red-orange and therefore produces a stronger yellow hue in the sample The curve however, for the b-values after the addition of Santalin corresponds to the curve of Figu ng 4, with a plateau between 2 and 4 mg/kg iron.

Table 3 shows an example of the change in the b-value over time after the addition of Santalin using pure Alpro soya. As can be seen, the b value is still changing 5 hours after the addition of the Santalin. This is probably due to the fact that the iron in Alpro soya is in a bound form and can only interact slowly with the Santalin. However, the color change that still occurs 1 hour after the addition of the Santalin no longer produces a color change that is noticeable to the consumer.

Example 3:

100 ml Alnatura soy was mixed with 1 g/kg of the sample "Red Spice Extract L-WS" and stored for 24 hours at 4 °C. Alnatura soy is a soy drink that contains soy proteins. The iron content was 7.4 mg iron per kg of the total preparation The Lab values were measured before addition and 24 hours after addition of the santalin.They before addition of the santalin were L=68.6,a=-1.0,b = 4.4 and after addition L = 58.6, a = 8.2, b = 0.8 The values are within the range of the values measured in Examples 1 and 2. Example 4:

A pea drink was prepared by dissolving 4.3% by weight pea protein in water, the percentage being based on the total mixture. The iron content was 6.5 mg iron per kg of the entire preparation. Before adding and 24 hours after adding the Santalin, the L.a. b values measured. Before the addition of the Santalin, they were L=64.6; α = -1.5; b = 5.0 and after addition L = 27.6; α = 2.6; b = 0.0. The pea drink differs from the preparations in Examples 1 to 3 in that it is not a white emulsion or suspension but a clear or only slightly cloudy solution. Figure 6 shows the undyed preparation and Figure 7 the colored preparation. As you can see, this difference has little effect on the a and b values. These are similar to the values from Examples 1 to 3. Only the L value is significantly lower because the influence of the brightening white emulsion or suspension is absent.

Claims

Claims Foodstuff containing iron in an amount of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the foodstuff, characterized in that the foodstuff contains santalin, the foodstuff and the santalin being present as a mixture. A foodstuff according to claim 1, wherein the iron is derived entirely from animal or vegetable sources. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food contains no animal products. Foodstuff according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the iron comes entirely from vegetable sources. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food contains legumes, the legumes preferably being selected from the group consisting of soya, peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, lupins and peanuts. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food contains proteins from legumes, which are preferably selected from the group consisting of soya, peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, lupins and peanuts. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food is selected from the group consisting of confectionery, desserts, cereals, baked goods, pasta, soups, sauces, fillings, dairy products, ice cream, spreads, beverages, meat, meat substitutes, sausage, Sausage substitutes, milk and milk substitutes. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food is selected from the group consisting of meat substitutes, sausage substitutes and milk substitutes, the food containing legumes. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food is a substitute product which contains legumes and is selected from substitute products for foods from the group consisting of drinks, in particular milk, yoghurt, quark and ice cream. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains 0.5 to 1000 mg of santalin per kilogram of food. Food according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Santalin is contained in the food in the form of a Santalin-containing colorant and the numerical value of the factor from the amount of Santalin-containing colorant used in grams and its absorbance El% in ethanol at 507 nm in one ranges from 1 to 50 per kilogram of colored food. A method of preparing a foodstuff according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of mixing at least two ingredients, of which the first ingredient contains at least iron and the second ingredient contains at least santalin. A method for preparing a food according to claim 12, wherein the first ingredient is an iron-containing food and the second ingredient is santalin or a colorant containing santalin. A method of preparing a foodstuff according to any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein the first ingredient contains at least 0.5 mg of iron per kilogram of the first ingredient. Use of Santalin for coloring foodstuffs containing iron in an amount of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of foodstuff. Use according to claim 15 for coloring foodstuffs as specified in any one of claims 7 to 9.