APPLICATION OF ICP ATOMIC-EMISSION SPECTR OMETRY WITH ULTRASONIC NEBULIZER TO SCREENING FOR CARMINE - DETERMINATION OF ALUMINUM IN CANNED CHERRIES

In order to judge whether carmine, an aluminum (Al)-lake, had been use d as a color, the Al concentration in commercial canned cherries and c herries in canned fruit cocktail was determined by ICP atomic emission spectrometry with an ultrasonic nebulizer. Al concentration in cherri es not colored or cherries labeled as containing a food color without Al was 0.1-0.4 mug/g, while that in cherries in which the use of carmi ne was suspected from the labeling was about 1 mug/g. The Al concentra tion in cherries colored with cochineal extract and alum was ca. 4 mug /g. Thus, the determined Al concentrations were consistent with the la beling of the products. Consequently, Al level may be used as a screen to judge whether carmine has been used as a color for canned cherries . In the case of a product with a higher Al content, it is necessary t o check the manufacturing process of the product.