Limited information on the reaction and fate of Eryt
hrosine in food is available. In general, the
majority of colour additives are unstable in combin
ation with oxidising and reducing agents in food.
Since colour depends on the existence of a conjuga
ted unsaturated system within the dye molecule,
any substance which modifies this system (e.g. oxi
dising or reducing agents,
sugars, acids, and salts)
will affect the colour (Scotter and Castle, 2004).
When cherries coloured with Erythrosine are stor
ed in uncoated steel cans, fluorescein is readily
formed. The production of fluorescein from Erythrosine
occurs in the presence of iron and/or tin and
free organic acid as a result of
electrochemical reduction in the can
(Dickinson and Raven, 1962). This
does not occur in coated cans.