The Unspoken Truth Behind Thai Tea's Bright Orange Color: It's Not Naturally Occurring
Thai iced tea, a popular beverage known for its vibrant orange colour, creamy texture, and sweet, spiced flavour, is not naturally coloured. Instead, it owes its signature hue to an artificial food colouring agent called Sunset Yellow FCF (also known as Yellow 6 or E110).
Despite its widespread use, Sunset Yellow FCF is not outright banned across the entire UK and Europe, but it is subject to restrictions, warnings, or partial bans in several European regions due to health concerns. Particularly, some countries such as Norway, Finland, and Sweden have banned or restricted its use, and the UK has implemented regulations due to studies associating the dye with behavioral effects like exacerbating ADHD symptoms in children.
The UK Food Standards Agency recommended removing certain synthetic dyes, including Sunset Yellow, following studies like the Southampton study that linked them to increased hyperactivity in children. Although still legally permitted, the UK food industry has largely phased out the dye to comply with these recommendations. In parts of Europe, including Scandinavia, the dye is banned or restricted.
These regulatory measures stem from evidence of the dye causing allergic reactions and potentially aggravating hyperactivity, not direct causation of ADHD. Despite these concerns and partial bans, Sunset Yellow FCF remains widely used in many countries, including Germany, and is approved in the US with regulated acceptable daily intake levels.
Traditionally, Thai tea was brewed using Ceylon tea, which has a natural beige-brown tint. To make Thai tea more visually appealing, manufacturers started adding artificial food coloring. The use of Sunset Yellow FCF has made Thai iced tea instantly recognizable by its vibrant orange colour.
While the use of synthetic food dyes like Sunset Yellow doesn't directly cause ADHD, they may exacerbate symptoms in both hyperactive and non-hyperactive children. A British study suggests that up to 30% of ADHD cases could potentially be prevented if synthetic food dyes like Sunset Yellow were eliminated from everyday foods and drinks.
Therefore, if you are in the UK or certain European countries, Thai iced tea containing Sunset Yellow FCF might be unavailable or labeled with warnings due to these health concerns and regulatory actions. It's essential to be aware of these regulations when enjoying a glass of Thai iced tea.
Key points:
- Sunset Yellow FCF is linked to allergy and behavioural concerns such as hyperactivity.
- Banned in some European countries (Norway, Finland, Sweden) and restricted or discouraged in the UK after scientific studies.
- Still permitted in many parts of Europe (e.g., Germany) and the US under regulated conditions.
- Traditionally, Thai tea was brewed using Ceylon tea, which has a natural beige-brown tint.
- Studies have linked Sunset Yellow to increased hyperactivity in children.
- Artificial food coloring, specifically Sunset Yellow FCF, is used to achieve the traditional orange colour of Thai tea.
- Stricter food regulations in the UK and Europe have been prompted due to health concerns about Sunset Yellow.
- Sunset Yellow FCF is what gives Thai tea its signature orange glow.
- The traditional brewing of Thai tea using Ceylon tea is no longer common due to the addition of artificial food coloring.
- The use of artificial food coloring in Thai tea has made it instantly recognizable by its vibrant orange colour.
- The use of Thai iced tea's signature orange color is achieved through an artificial food coloring agent called Sunset Yellow FCF, which has been linked to allergy and behavioral concerns such as increased hyperactivity.
- In response to scientific studies, certain European countries like Norway, Finland, and Sweden have banned or restricted Sunset Yellow FCF, while the UK has implemented regulations due to its association with exacerbating ADHD symptoms in children.
- Despite these concerns, Sunset Yellow FCF remains widely used in many countries, including the United States and Germany, under regulated conditions.
- The traditional method of brewing Thai tea using Ceylon tea, which has a natural beige-brown tint, is less common now, as manufacturers have started adding Sunset Yellow FCF to make Thai tea visually appealing and instantly recognizable by its vibrant orange color.
