Last Updated on February 18, 2023
Find out everything you might be interested in about gel food coloring Michaels!
You don’t have to be an experienced chef or confectioner to know that food coloring is responsible for the bright colors of almost everything we eat and drink, from sweets, cereals, pastries, and all the way to sports drinks, they are literally everywhere.
Unfortunately, most of them have a bad reputation because some scientists believe that they can cause serious side effects, such as hyperactivity in children, but also cancer, and allergies. We decided to devote this article to the study of gel food coloring Michaels in order to finally discover the real truth and find out if they are worth your time and money. Therefore, if you are in favor, let’s go into the details.
What Are Food Dyes?
Let’s start with a fun fact. Namely, did you know that the consumption of artificial food colors has increased by 500% in the last 50 years? Children are the target group and at the same time the biggest consumers.
In short, food colors are chemical substances that have been developed to improve the appearance of food by giving it an attractive color. Did you know that the first artificial food colors were created in 1856 and were made from coal tar? They were invented by William Henry Perkin, and the first synthetic dye was known as “mauvine”. Unlike them, today’s ones are petroleum-derived and are generally not dangerous for human consumption.
Although there are still a lot of controversies, which is quite understandable because people fear for their health, but we must emphasize that all artificial dyes that are currently used have been tested for toxicity in animal studies. Based on the results of various studies conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), it was concluded that the colors do not pose any significant health risks.
Now that we have introduced you to the basics, let us finally say a few words about gel food coloring Michaels.
Gel Food Coloring Michaels: Good Or Bad?
Have you ever heard people claim that we eat with our eyes before tasting with our taste buds? What do you think about that? To be honest, our eyes love colors. This shouldn’t surprise us because the colors are fun, exciting, playful, and simply attract us to join.
Fortunately, we have only good news for you today. Gel food coloring Michaels are completely safe for consumption, you can add them to all your cakes and baked goods without any worries because they won’t harm your health. This is truly the best food coloring brand you can get on the market. Find out why this is so below.
When & how to use gel food coloring?
As we have already said, color additives are mainly used to make food more attractive, appealing, and ultimately more appetizing. We humans often use it to stimulate the natural color of sweet or savory dishes. Let’s say you want to make a red velvet cake red instead of pink, all you have to do is add a few drops of gel food coloring Michaels and you’re done. The same applies if, for example, the color of the pistachio frosting is not green enough, etc.
Regarding the choice of food coloring paste Michaels, you can choose between icing color or concentrated gel. It mostly comes in small containers, little pots, or jars. Given that these are highly concentrated and vibrant products, they certainly and without fail offer a consistent color tone without changing the taste or texture of your sweet and savory dishes, as well as glazes, frostings, and fondants.
For example, Americolor gel paste Michaels is so concentrated that the best option is to dip a toothpick into the paste several times and add very small amounts of color each time because it is very intense, to say the least. You won’t go wrong if you choose these colors when making cakes that require significant amounts of color, such as the famous red velvet or rainbow cake.
Finally, we would single out one aspect, which is that this color is the ideal choice if you are making glazes, frostings, or icings that mustn’t receive an additional amount of liquid, because otherwise, you can affect their texture.
As far as the method of use is concerned, it is very simple and suitable even for beginners who encounter coloring for the first time. All you have to do is add drop by drop to what you are coloring until you get the tone you want and that’s it.
Keep in mind that when using gel color, the icing usually darkens after 1-2 hours (although there are exceptions), but this is completely normal and happens due to exposure to air. Are you ready for the secret of experienced confectioners and bakers? They usually color their icing a few hours before applying.
What we especially value:
Gel food coloring is readily available, can be ordered to your home address in just a few clicks, and is generally affordable for everyone. You can achieve lighter, pastel hues.
What we don’t really appreciate:
You have to be frugal as the effect cannot be undone.
How much does food coloring cost?
What we especially appreciate about Michaels gel food coloring is the affordability of the product. They can be found as low as $3.99 per product all the way up to large 10+ product kits for $33.99. Trust us, everyone can find what they need without spending a ton of money.
Take Home Message
Frankly speaking, based on the tons of scientific research we have read so far, we argue that there is no conclusive evidence that food dyes are dangerous for most people. Please note that there are people who are sensitive to some of the ingredients used in the making process, but Michaels gel food coloring should be safe to use.
Are you a fan of food coloring and which one do you think is worth the money? Tell us more below.
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