Are some of our food made from petroleum?

If someone told you that some of the ingredients in the food you eat or beverages you drink came from petroleum, you will not be amused.

But it is true. Many food, beverage and even nutraceutical ingredients are still derived from chemicals which originate with petroleum.

For instance, many of the colorants used in our foods, beverages, candies and ice creams are still derived ultimately from crude oil. While in most countries these have been approved by the corresponding food safety agencies, the fact that they ultimately rely on a fossil fuel is quite a concern.

Are there natural alternatives that can replace these? In many cases, natural substitutes are available for the synthetic food ingredients, but the natural variants are more expensive to produce.

But as the world moves towards a low carbon future, perhaps it is time that the food industry put a high price on the use of fossil based materials and encouraged a shift to natural, plant-based feedstock.