EFFECT OF PONCEAU 4R FOOD DYE ON HUMANS AND ANIMALS: THE LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Modern manufacturers prefer synthetic dyes due to their chemical stability, bright color, and low cost. Azo dyes are the most widely used in industry. The most popular are the dyes of red and yellow colors, among them– ponceau 4R. However, different countries of the world have different legislative norms regarding the permissibility of using ponceau 4R in medicine and food production. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established the value of a safe daily intake of synthetic dyes based on available clinical trials. However, it should be noted that EFSA documents are based on the results of the works which contain information concerning consumption rates of particular dyes and food additives, but not their combinations. Ponceau 4R is banned in the United States and Canada. It is considered that the presence of dyes in the drug’s composition for pediatric practice causes allergic reactions in children. Pollution of water and soil by synthetic food dyes is potentially dangerous to living things from different parts of the food chain. The negative effect of ponceau 4R dye on crustaceans, freshwater fish, and cultivated plants has been experimentally proven. The permissible daily intake of ponso 4R colorant for humans is 0–4 mg/kg body weight per day. Ponceau 4R is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract with the participation of anaerobic microflora, followed by absorption of metabolites formed in the intestine. According to various authors, ponceau 4R in combination with other dietary supplements caused structural changes in the duodenum of white rats, and also influenced the behavioral responses of experimental animals and their offsprings (anxiety, reduced adaptive responses, decreased activity, and emotional disturbances). It has been established that ponceau 4R in combination with other food dyes has the ability to cause inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress. A significant proportion of scientific publications point to the problem of qualitative and quantitative determination of ponceau 4R, amaranth, tartrazine, and other colorants in food and medicines.

Keywords

• ponceau 4r
• synthetic food dyes
• ponso 4r
• e 124
• azo dyes.