Study points to link between synthetic food colour and cancer

Food Colour

According to a study, most of the food-borne diseases reported are due to the consumption of non-permitted textile colours.

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Colour is a vital part of making food look more appealing, but did you know that excessive addition of artificial food colours or use of non-permitted colouring can be dangerous for your health?

In many instances, especially where commercial food such as that sold in supermarkets and restaurants is involved, colour is added to food that tends to lose its natural appealing hue during processing and storage.

It is also used by manufacturers in making beverages and sugary snacks. But fresh research indicates that tests on food colours showed it can have toxic effects when consumed in large quantities.

According to a study published in the journal Food Chemistry Advances earlier this month, most of the food-borne diseases reported are due to the consumption of non-permitted textile colours.

“Most of the food colours tested in the conventional toxicity experiments showed toxic effects at a very high level of intake. Most of the food-borne diseases reported are due to the consumption of non-permitted textile colours,” the study said.

The study says Benzedrine, 4-aminobiphenyl and 4-aminoazobenzene are potential carcinogens that have been found in food dyes. These contaminants are allowed in the dyes because they are present in low levels, which are presumed to be safe.

It states that synthetic food colours are used more than natural food colours by food manufacturers to attain certain properties such as low cost, improved appearance, high colour intensity, more colour stability and uniformity.

“Varied foods and beverages available in the market may contain some non-permitted synthetic colours and over-use of permitted synthetic colours. This may lead to severe health problems such as mutations, cancers, reduced hemoglobin concentrations and allergic reactions,” says the report.

Some 60 per cent of the beverages violated the label requirement without including proper colour ingredients, the study says.

The synthetic colours are available in granular, powder and lake colours (water insoluble)

The colours are mainly applied during baking, in beverages, in confectionery (jellies, chewing gum, cream/paste, gums and chews), cosmetics and toiletries, dairy and ice cream, meat and savouries, sea food, pharmaceuticals and pet food.

The study says red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 may contain contaminants that are known cancer-causing substances. Erythrosine, also known as Red 3, is the most controversial dye. Male rats given erythrosine had an increased risk of thyroid tumours. In the study, yellow 5, also known as tartrazine, causes hives and asthma symptoms.

Interestingly, people who have an allergy to aspirin seem to be more likely to also be allergic to yellow 5, the study says.

In a study conducted in people with chronic hives or swelling, 52 per cent had an allergic reaction to artificial food dyes.

Most allergic reactions are not life-threatening. However, with allergy symptoms, the researchers advise the removal of artificial food dyes from the diet.

The study indicated that red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 are among the most commonly consumed dyes, and are the three most likely to cause an allergic response.

Some artificial food dyes, particularly blue 1, red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6, may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals

Although synthetic food colours may be useful for decorating food items, beverages, pharmaceuticals and other purposes, they do cause some problems in the human body.

This research investigates the role that food colour plays in conferring identity and liking to those foods and beverages that assume many flavour varieties.

The study concludes that numerous side effects and toxicity, both medium and long-term, allergic reactions, behavioural and neurocognitive effects are linked to their use.

The implementation of regulations and awareness programmes on food colours for consumers and food manufacturers are highly recommended.

More research needs to be done based on the increasing consumption of food dyes.

To minimise the risk of developing health problems due to food additives and preservatives, one should avoid the foods containing these additives and preservatives.

The food additives must be added in regulated quantities and concentration and should be within acceptable daily intakes.