VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: Dominika Wilk
Some substances added to food products for the purpose of their preservation or processing may be harmful to he alth. This is what happens with certain food colors that can trigger an allergy or worsen an asthma attack. Find out which dyes they are and what symbols are marked on the labels.
Food colorsare substances whose purpose is to give food products a specific color. They can be used to color colorless food or be an attempt to intensify the natural color. They are also used to regain the lost color. On food labels, they are marked with the symbol E and a number between 100 and 199.
Food dyes include:
- natural organic dyes,
- dyes that are identical to natural ones,
- synthetic organic dyes,
- inorganic dyes.
Safety in the use of food dyes
The use of food colors is regulated by law. They are regulated, inter alia, by Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives - in the scope of general provisions governing the use of food additives and the Regulation of the Minister of He alth of 22 November 2010 on permitted additives.
Legal regulations are to ensure the safe use of dyes and prevent a situation in which, due to the consumption of food with a forbidden coloring substance, the he alth and life of a person would be endangered.
The safety of using dyes as food additives is also regulated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which labeled dyes with the symbol E. This symbol means that the dyes are toxicologically tested and checked in terms of carcinogenicity, effect on metabolism, development and reproduction of humans.
Based on the data from toxicological tests, the daily allowable dose of food dyes for humans is determined, which allows them to be consumed without adverse he alth effects.
The daily allowable consumption of dyes is marked withlabels with the ADI symbol and means the maximum dose of a given dye for each kilogram of body weight.
When eating colored food, you should pay attention not only to the amount of dye in a given product, but also to take into account other dyed products that were included in our menu during the day.
Natural dyes
Natural dyes are those that occur in nature and are obtained through the extraction of plants or animal extracts. In turn, those that are identical to the natural ones are obtained by biosynthesis or biotransformation of those substances that are normally found in plants.
The vast majority of natural dyes are safe for he alth and do not cause adverse he alth effects.
Natural dyes can be divided into 6 groups, namely:
- flavonoid pigments, i.e. anthocyanins,
- isoprenoid pigments, i.e. carotenoids,
- chinoid pigments, e.g. cochineal,
- porphyrin pigments, i.e. chlorophylls and chlorophyllins,
- betalain dyes, e.g. betanin,
- other natural pigments, e.g. curcumin, riboflavin.
Synthetic dyes
Chemical dyes are obtained by various chemical transformations and modifications. A large group here are azo, xanthan and quinoline compounds. Due to their harmful effect on the human body, only 15 synthetic compounds have been approved for use in food.
Certainly, synthetic dyes have such an advantage over natural dyes that they have greater dyeing power, and better withstand fluctuating temperature or radiation. Besides, they are much cheaper than natural dyes.
Nevertheless, the growing number of reports of their effects on children's hyperactivity or the development of allergies, caused EFSA to lower the ADI limits for synthetic dyes.
Dyes to avoid
Cochineal (E120)
Natural dyes usually do not cause allergic reactions or other adverse he alth effects. Although there are also those that may have a negative effect on the body. This applies, for example, to cochineal, where allergic reactions have been reported, as well as anaphylaxis.
Cochineal is a red dye obtained from the shells of insects. It is obtained by drying and grinding.
Therefore, there are suspicions that it is not sensitizing the dye itself, but its contamination with proteins.
There are also hypotheses that the allergenic effect of cochineal arises when it binds to endogenous proteins, e.g. albumin, which in turn makes it becomefull antigen and in this form it irritates the immune system.
Annatto dye (E160B)
The annatto dye of the carotenoid type is also suspected of allergic reactions occurring in consumers consuming products colored with it. It has an orange-yellow color and is used to color: cheeses, smoked fish, bakery products and beverages.
May cause hives or angioedema, but usually it is not the effect of the isolated compound itself, but of a compound contaminated with protein (it is obtained from the seed extract).
Southampton Dyes
The dyes that are hazardous to he alth include in particular:
- quinoline yellow (E104),
- sunset yellow FCF (E110),
- tatrazine (E102),
- azorubines (E122),
- Allura Red AC (E129)
- and cochineal red (E124).
Studies conducted at the University of Southampton have shown that they can cause hyperactivity in children and impaired concentration. For this reason, the European Union has issued an order that products containing them should carry a warning that these dyes may have a harmful effect on the activity of children and cause distraction.
The danger of overusing these compounds resulted in a decrease in the ADI - a measure of safe daily consumption of a given substance in mg / kg body weight for sunset yellow and cochineal red.
Unfortunately, with the rest of the dyes mentioned, no such changes were made. Sunset yellow and cochineal red most often occur in sweet drinks, so it is easy to overdose it. In addition, the sources of orange yellow are: chewing gums, jelly beans, marmalades.
Also tartazine and azorubine are found in beverages, as well as in artificial honey, fruit essences, powders and cause hepatotoxic and cytotoxic effects. Besides, they can be the cause of:
- hives,
- migraines
- and eczema
- and the aforementioned lack of concentration or hyperactivity.
Products with their content are available at every turn to the average consumer, so the daily ADI dose can be quickly exceeded. Quinoline yellow can also have a negative impact on human he alth, as it can cause allergies and aggravate asthma.
We can meet her in isotonic drinks and confectionery.
Ertrosine (E127)
Erythrosine (E127) is a cherry-red dye which - like Southampton dyes, can cause hyperactivity,and besides, it can become a source of allergies and have a negative effect on the thyroid gland.
We can find it in sausages, candied fruit, and even in toothpaste.
Brilliant green (E142)
Brilliant green is a tar dye that comes in the form of a dark green powder. It is used to color candies, ice cream, mint sauce, cream, jams, jellies and pickled peas.
In excess, maybe:
- make you sleepy,
- increase asthma attacks,
- cause allergic reactions
- or aggravate anemia problems.