Food dye works by absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others, resulting in the color we perceive.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
- Light Absorption: Food coloring molecules contain specific chemical structures that enable them to absorb certain wavelengths of light from the visible spectrum.
- Selective Transmission: When white light (which contains all colors of the spectrum) shines on the food dye, the molecules absorb some wavelengths and transmit (or reflect) others.
- Color Perception: The wavelengths of light that are not absorbed by the dye reach our eyes. Our brains interpret these remaining wavelengths as a specific color. For example, if a dye absorbs most colors except for red, we perceive the dye as red.
- Solubility: Food dyes are designed to dissolve in water or other food-grade solvents, allowing them to be evenly distributed throughout the food product. Crucially, this dissolution does not change their light-absorbing properties; the colored molecules remain intact.
Essentially, food dye acts like a filter for light, selectively removing some colors and allowing others to pass through, thus creating the colors we see in our food.
