A low public awareness of illegals red colorants usage: A case study in ketchup and crackers at traditional market of Sukolilo Surabaya

The low public awareness to unhealthy food products causes many unhealthy and unsafe food products still found and distributed, especially, in the traditional market. Food additives, synthetic colorants and sweetener, are widely applied in food due to its stability, attractive in colours, and cheaper. Therefore, a survey and determination of illegal reds colorants, Rhodamine B, conducted particularly in ketchups and crackers in Sukolilo Area of Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia as well as three others legal reds colorants red allure, erythrosine, and ponceau 4R. Seven traditional markets at Sukolilo district: Keputih, Gebang Putih, Menur Pumpungan, Nginden Jangkungan, Semolowaru, Klampis Ngasem, and Medokan Semampir, were sampled. Instead of ketchup and crackers, beverages, and traditional cakes are also classified containing reds colorant. They are 38 samples were collected from six traditional markets at Sukolilo district: ketchup 31.58%, crakers 5.26%, beverages 23.68%, traditional cakes 28.95% while the rest is classified as other, i.e. seasonings and sausages. None of those are found at Medokan Semampir traditional Market. None of the collected ketchups contain Rhodamine B. Ponceau 4R and Erythrosine are the common red colorants detected in the ketchups. All the crackers and some samples of traditional cakes that mostly homemade do contain Rhodamine B.