In the European Union 326 food additives are known by “E numbers.” Some substances, like caffeine or taurine, also serve as additives in the food industry, but don't have a dedicated E number assigned to them. Therefore, the total number of allowed ingredients is significantly higher. The photo series MOLECULAR PORTRAITS visualizes some of these substances.
Although we consume molecules like E 300 and E 330 on a daily basis, not only in processed food but also as part of our natural diets, most of us have never seen them. The purpose of this project is to show these compounds in a way that highlights their differences and characteristics. All substances were selected based on the criteria that they exhibit a crystalline structure, making them suitable for an analysis using polarized light.
Powders like citric acid or ascorbic acid can barely be differentiated by the human eye under normal circumstances. Conventional photos produced of them will attain fairly similar results as well, even with the aid of an optical microscope. However, by heating the substances under the right conditions and with the addition of a solvent, for example water, they will crystallize and form unique structures and patterns. This is a challenging and experimental endeavor that requires trial and error.
Several variables like the temperature, the amount of the substance used, or the solvent will affect the crystallization. Sorbic acid, for instance, is soluble in ethanol but barley in water. Following the first step, the sample is dried on a glass surface and illuminated using polarized light. After passing through as second polarization filter, the subject is then photographed. This technique gives the images their depth and color.
The structures observable in the photographs are reminiscent of fractals, a concept that describes reoccurring patterns with high levels of self-similarity. In theory, fractals can be scaled indefinitely, however, this is not the case for natural fractals. Other examples include snowflakes, algae, and trees. Similarly to these, the photo series displays the mathematical complexity of nature but on a much smaller, microscopic scale.
