Protective action of vitamin C against mutagenic effects of synthetic food color tartrazine

Abstract

The present study has been carried out to investigate the possible mutagenic effects of the synthetic food color tartrazine on mitosis, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) contents of Allium cepa roots and protein banding pattern of A. cepa seeds. The obtained results indicated that the synthetic food color tartrazine (E102) had the ability to cause different mitotic changes varying from reduction in mitotic index to the production of a large number of mitotic abnormalities. These changes appeared in varying degrees depending on the applied concentration and duration of treatment. The types of abnormalities produced were laggards, bridges, stickiness, C-metaphase and disturbed phases as well as micronuclei. The amounts of both DNA and RNA were generally decreased with increasing of most concentrations and time of treatment. At electrophoretic level, E102 induced alternations in the protein banding pattern of A. cepa seeds as compared with the control. These alternations were expressed as disappearance of some characteristic bands, appearance of new bands, and changes in band intensities. The administration of vitamin C was found to be very helpful in minimizing the toxic effects induced by E102.

The Effects of Adding a Gel-Alike Curcuma longa L. Suspension as Color Agent on Some Quality and Sensory Properties of Yogurt

“…Its rhizomes are dried and grounded to obtain turmeric powder, a yellow and orange product that is used to extract curcumin, the phenolic compound responsible for the biological properties associated with turmeric [ 2 ]. Additionally, curcumin is a natural color agent known as E 100 [ 3 ] that has been used to replace Yellow 5 or tartrazine, a synthetic color agent that has been banned in Norway and Austria [ 4 ] while in the European Union, additional labeling information is required for its application in food [ 5 ]. Despite the potential of curcumin as a color additive for the food industry, its application is limited because of its low aqueous solubility [ 6 ] and the high waste generation associated with its extraction, taking into account that curcumin only represents 3.5 wt.…”

Protective effect of crocin on food azo dye tartrazine-induced hepatic damage by improving biochemical parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers in rats

“…Tartrazine (E-102), also known as azo dye since it contains a -N=N-group, is an orange-yellow powder dye readily soluble in water and forms golden colored solutions (Deshpande 2002). Tartrazine is frequently used as a food additive in aromatic beverages, canned foods, ice creams, confectionery, and in many human drugs and cosmetic products (Mpountoukas et al 2010;Mahfouz and Al-Shammrani 2013). Used in several countries around the world, tartrazine is the second most commonly used food dye in the United States since 1916.…”