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Amchova P, Siska F, Ruda-Kucerova J. Food Safety and Health Concerns of Synthetic Food Colors: An Update. TOXICS 2024; 12:466. [PMID: 39058118 PMCID: PMC11280921 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12070466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The toxicity of food additives is widely studied and concerns many consumers worldwide. Synthetic food colors are often considered an unnecessary risk to consumer health. Since the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) re-evaluation between 2009 and 2014, the body of scientific literature on food colors has grown, and new evaluations are being published by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Therefore, this narrative review aims to review the toxicological data that have become available since 2014. The reviewed colors are Quinoline Yellow, Sunset Yellow, Azorubine, Amaranth, Ponceau 4R, Erythrosine, Allura Red, Patent Blue, Indigo Carmine, Brilliant Blue FCF, Green S, Brilliant Black, Brown HT, and Lithol Rubine BK. Tartrazine was not included in this paper; the overwhelming amount of recent data on Tartrazine toxicity requires more space than this review can provide. The issues regarding the toxicity of synthetic food colors and real population exposures are being regularly examined and reviewed by relevant authorities, such as the EFSA and JECFA. The current ADI limits set by the authorities are mostly in agreement, and they seem safe. However, the EFSA and JECFA assessments of some of the colors are more than a decade old, and new evidence will soon be required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Amchova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.A.); (F.S.)
| | - Filip Siska
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.A.); (F.S.)
- Oncology Department, Hospital of Ceske Budejovice, B. Nemcove 585/54, 370 01 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.A.); (F.S.)
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Zahran SA, Mansour SM, Ali AE, Kamal SM, Römling U, El-Abhar HS, Ali-Tammam M. Sunset Yellow dye effects on gut microbiota, intestinal integrity, and the induction of inflammasomopathy with pyroptotic signaling in male Wistar rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 187:114585. [PMID: 38490351 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Although concern persists regarding possible adverse effects of consumption of synthetic azo food dyes, the mechanisms of any such effects remain unclear. We have tested the hypothesis that chronic consumption of the food dye Sunset Yellow (SY) perturbs the composition of the gut microbiota and alters gut integrity. Male rats were administered SY orally for 12 weeks. Analysis of fecal samples before and after dye administration demonstrated SY-induced microbiome dysbiosis. SY treatment reduced the abundance of beneficial taxa such as Treponema 2, Anaerobiospirillum, Helicobacter, Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, and Prevotellaceae UCG-003, while increasing the abundance of the potentially pathogenic microorganisms Prevotella 2 and Oribacterium. Dysbiosis disrupted gut integrity, altering the jejunal adherens junction complex E-cadherin/β-catenin and decreasing Trefoil Factor (TFF)-3. SY administration elevated LPS serum levels, activated the inflammatory inflammasome cascade TLR4/NLRP3/ASC/cleaved-activated caspase-1 to mature IL-1β and IL-18, and activated caspase-11 and gasdermin-N, indicating pyroptosis and increased intestinal permeability. The possibility that consumption of SY by humans could have effects similar to those that we have observed in rats should be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ahmed Zahran
- Department of Microbiology& Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University, 12311, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Suzan Mohamed Mansour
- Departments of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University, 12311, Cairo, Egypt; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, 11562, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Amal Emad Ali
- Department of Microbiology& Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University, 12311, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Shady Mansour Kamal
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Ute Römling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Hanan Salah El-Abhar
- Departments of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University, 12311, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Marwa Ali-Tammam
- Department of Microbiology& Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University, 12311, Cairo, Egypt.
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Zhang Q, Chumanevich AA, Nguyen I, Chumanevich AA, Sartawi N, Hogan J, Khazan M, Harris Q, Massey B, Chatzistamou I, Buckhaults PJ, Banister CE, Wirth M, Hebert JR, Murphy EA, Hofseth LJ. The synthetic food dye, Red 40, causes DNA damage, causes colonic inflammation, and impacts the microbiome in mice. Toxicol Rep 2023; 11:221-232. [PMID: 37719200 PMCID: PMC10502305 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) among young people has been on the rise for the past four decades and its underlying causes are only just starting to be uncovered. Recent studies suggest that consuming ultra-processed foods and pro-inflammatory diets may be contributing factors. The increase in the use of synthetic food colors in such foods over the past 40 years, including the common synthetic food dye Allura Red AC (Red 40), coincides with the rise of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC). As these ultra-processed foods are particularly appealing to children, there is a growing concern about the impact of synthetic food dyes on the development of CRC. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of Red 40 on DNA damage, the microbiome, and colonic inflammation. Despite a lack of prior research, high levels of human exposure to pro-inflammatory foods containing Red 40 highlight the urgency of exploring this issue. Our results show that Red 40 damages DNA both in vitro and in vivo and that consumption of Red 40 in the presence of a high-fat diet for 10 months leads to dysbiosis and low-grade colonic inflammation in mice. This evidence supports the hypothesis that Red 40 is a dangerous compound that dysregulates key players involved in the development of EOCRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Alexander A. Chumanevich
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Ivy Nguyen
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Anastasiya A. Chumanevich
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Nora Sartawi
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Jake Hogan
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Minou Khazan
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Quinn Harris
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Bryson Massey
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Ioulia Chatzistamou
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Phillip J. Buckhaults
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Carolyn E. Banister
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Michael Wirth
- Department of Biobehavioral Health & Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - James R. Hebert
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - E. Angela Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Lorne J. Hofseth
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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