Quantitative assessment and toxicological study of sunset yellow dye (E110) as an additive in some beverages consumed in Katsina Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Synthetic dyes have been used in food, beverages and pharmaceuticals for consumer attractions. The dyes are usually added to substrates to replace the natural colorants that could be lost during processing or to prevent variations in the color of the final products. Unfortunately, the dyes have been reported to cause many health related issues. However, there is a need to constantly monitor the amount of such colorants in our food and beverages. Empirically, the acute toxicity was carried out to examine the LD₅₀ (acute toxicity) of the Sunset yellow (E110) (analyte) dye using Wistar albino rats in accordance to the administered doses per body weight of the tested animals, as well as quantitative analysis of the targeted analyte in some beverages consumed in Katsina metropolis, Nigeria. The result of the LD50 values for the Sunset yellow dye standards estimated to be more than 5000 ppm per body weight of the tested animals. Thus, there were some few changes in the animals’ behavioral attitudes, which varies according to the concentration of doses administered and the results produced no mortality at the given doses range of 50 to 5000 ppm after administering the dye standards. The quantitatively analyzed samples contained 49.536 ± 0.004, 109.785 ± 0.130, 108.975 ± 0.075, 46.140 ± 0.018 and 42.059 ± 0.009 ppm of the Sunset yellow dye, respectively in samples A, B, C, D and E. This justifies the safe consumption of sample A, D and E of the analyzed beverages since the concentrations of the Sunset yellow dye in them were below the maximum permissible limits of 50 ppm as supported by OECD (Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Acute Oral Toxicity–Acute Toxic). Although, excessive consumption of such beverages containing the dye additives could lead to continuous accumulation of the dye in the body tissues beyond its maximum permissible limits, that may result in health issues at long run that include different forms of cancers and also provoking allergic reactions such as asthmatic symptoms in the body.