The past 30 years have seen the market demand for food colorants changing in substantial ways, particularly regarding the choice between synthetic and natural colorants. Not so long ago, synthetic colorants were preferred because of several benefits: They are easy to use, deliver bright colors in a variety of food matrices, and perform in consistent and predictable ways. Moreover, they are inexpensive to use.
Synthetics also are available in concentrated form and dissolve readily in water (dyes) or disperse well in fat-based systems (lakes). They are quite stable in most applications and are generally resistant to the effects of heat, light, and pH. Of course, there are exceptions, but these statements are generally true where synthetic colorants are concerned, and this explains their decades-long popularity with food scientists and manufacturers.