Erythrosine Explained

Erythrosine, also known as Red No. 3, is an organoiodine compound, specifically a derivative of fluorone. It is a pink dye which is primarily used for food coloring.[1] It is the disodium salt of 2,4,5,7-tetraiodofluorescein. Its maximum absorbance is at 530 nm[2] in an aqueous solution, and it is subject to photodegradation.

Uses

It is used as a food coloring,[3] printing ink,[4] biological stain, dental plaque disclosing agent,[5] radiopaque medium,[6] sensitizer for orthochromatic photographic films, and visible light photoredox catalyst.[7]

Erythrosine is commonly used in sweets such as some candies and ice pops, and even more widely used in cake-decorating gels. It was also used to color pistachio shells.[8] As a food additive, it has the E number E127.

Regulation and prevalence

Erythrosine is banned as a food additive in the European Union, Japan, China, the United Kingdom,[9] Australia, and New Zealand.[10] [11] Erythrosine can be used in colored food and ingested drugs in the U.S. without any restriction; however, its use is banned in cosmetics and topical drugs. It is less commonly used in the United States because Allura Red AC (Red #40) is generally used instead.[12] The lake variant is also banned from use in the United States.

The European Food Safety Authority only allows erythrosine in processed cherries[13] and pet foods.[14] [15]

United States

As a result of efforts begun in the 1970s, in 1990, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) instituted a partial ban on erythrosine, citing research that high doses cause cancer in rats.[16] A 1990 study concluded that "chronic erythrosine ingestion may promote thyroid tumor formation in rats via chronic stimulation of the thyroid by TSH." with 4% of total daily dietary intake consisting of erythrosine B.[17] A series of toxicology tests combined with a review of other reported studies concluded that erythrosine is non-genotoxic and any increase in tumors is caused by a non-genotoxic mechanism.[18]

In June 2008, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) petitioned the FDA for a complete ban on erythrosine in the United States,[19] but the FDA has not taken any further action.

As of May 2023, the U.S. state of New York is considering banning the use of Red Dye No. 3 in foods (it was already banned from cosmetics as of 1990) because it has been shown to cause cancer in animals and because of claims that it, and other synthetic food dyes, may contribute to child behavioral problems such as hyperactivity.[20] California plans to ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of foods containing Red Dye No. 3 starting in 2027, following a bill signed into law in October 2023 that also bans three other food additives: propylparaben, potassium bromate, and brominated vegetable oil.[21] [22] [23]

Synonyms

Erythrosine B; Erythrosin B; Acid Red 51; C.I. 45430; FD&C Red No. 3; E127;2',4',5',7'-Tetraiodo-3',6'-dihydroxy-spiro[3H-isobenzofuran-1,9'-xanthen]-3-one disodium salt; Tetraiodofluorescein sodium salt; Calcoid Erythrosine N; 2,4,5,7-Tetraiodo-3,6-dihydroxyxanthene-9-spiro-1'-3H-isobenzofuran-3'-one disodium salt; 2',4',5',7'-Tetraiodofluorescein, disodium salt; C.I. Food Red 14; Aizen Erythrosine; Tetraiodifluorescein, disodium salt; Spiro[isobenzofuran- 1(3H),9'-[9H]xanthen]-3-one, 3',6'-dihydroxy-2',4',5',7'-tetraiodo-, disodium salt.[24] [25]

Classification

It is listed under the following number systems:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Lyday, Phyllis A. . vanc . Iodine and Iodine Compounds . Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry . 2005 . Wiley-VCH . Weinheim .
  2. Web site: Robert John . Lancashire . vanc . Department of Chemistry, University of the West Indies . Food Color Additives . 2007-01-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070128165006/http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm:1104/lectures/ecode.html . 2007-01-28 . dead .
  3. Chequer FM, Venâncio VP, Bianchi ML, Antunes LM . Genotoxic and mutagenic effects of erythrosine B, a xanthene food dye, on HepG2 cells . Food and Chemical Toxicology . 50 . 10 . 3447–51 . October 2012 . 22847138 . 10.1016/j.fct.2012.07.042 . free .
  4. Book: Gurr, Edward . Synthetic Dyes in Biology, Medicine And Chemistry . vanc . elsevier. 2012. 197, 198.
  5. Wood S, Metcalf D, Devine D, Robinson C . Erythrosine is a potential photosensitizer for the photodynamic therapy of oral plaque biofilms . The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy . 57 . 4 . 680–4 . April 2006 . 16464894 . 10.1093/jac/dkl021 . free .
  6. Book: Dictionary of Analytical Reagents . CRC Press . 1993 . 978-0-412-35150-1 . 474 .
  7. Rogers DA, Brown RG, Brandeburg ZC, Ko EY, Hopkins MD, LeBlanc G, Lamar AA . N-Bromosuccinimide . ACS Omega . 3 . 10 . 12868–12877 . October 2018 . 31458011 . 6644467 . 10.1021/acsomega.8b02320 .
  8. Web site: Day . Chris . 2023-01-16 . The Almost-Forgotten Era Of Red Pistachios . 2023-11-17 . The Daily Meal . en-US.
  9. News: 'Sprinklegate' sinks a U.K. bakery's top sellers after topping is found to be illegal . October 15, 2021 . Bill . Chappell . 29 November 2023 .
  10. News: Hernandez . Joe . California becomes the first state to ban 4 food additives linked to disease . NPR . October 10, 2023.
  11. News: Magazine . Smithsonian . Osborne . Margaret . What to Know About California's New Law Banning Food Additives, Including Red Dye No. 3 . Smithsonian Magazine . October 17, 2023 . en.
  12. Web site: Color Additive Status List . Food & Drug Administration . December 2015 . May 16, 2016.
  13. EFSA . Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Erythrosine (E 127) as a food additive . EFSA Journal . 2011 . 9 . 1 . 1854 . 10.2903/j.efsa.2011.1854. EFSA .

    Erythrosine is exclusively authorised for use in cocktail and candied cherries, and Bigarreaux cherries

  14. EFSA . Update of the Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of erythrosine in feed for cats, dogs, reptiles and ornamental fish . EFSA Journal . 2015 . 13 . 9 . 4233 . 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4233. EFSA . free . 2434/559021 . free .
  15. EFSA. Safety of erythrosine for ornamental fish . EFSA Journal . 2019 . 17 . 5 . 5699 . 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5699. 32626322 . 7009114 . EFSA .
  16. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1990/02/07/fda-red-dyes-reluctant-regulator/04320829-9727-4d2e-b3d5-53e9bbbca0dd/ FDA: Red Dye's Reluctant Regulator; Partial Ban Points to Limitations of 30-Year-Old Delaney Clause
  17. Jennings AS, Schwartz SL, Balter NJ, Gardner D, Witorsch RJ . Effects of oral erythrosine (2',4',5',7'-tetraiodofluorescein) on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rats . Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology . 103 . 3 . 549–56 . May 1990 . 2160137 . 10.1016/0041-008x(90)90327-q . free .
  18. Lin GH, Brusick DJ . Mutagenicity studies on FD&C red No.3 . Mutagenesis . 1 . 4 . 253–9 . July 1986 . 2457780 . 10.1093/mutage/1.4.253 .
  19. Web site: FDA Urged To Ban Some Food Dyes. CBS News. June 3, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20120827181228/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/03/health/main4151092.shtml. 2012-08-27. 2022-11-14. dead.
  20. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/13/well/eat/food-additive-ban.html Two States Have Proposed Bans on Common Food Additives Linked to Health Concerns
  21. Web site: California becomes first US state to ban 4 potentially harmful chemicals in food . CNN . October 10, 2023.
  22. Web site: AB-418 The California Food Safety Act.. ca.gov. en.
  23. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/10/11/california-skittles-ban-chemicals-food/ California isn’t banning Skittles, but four additives will be removed
  24. http://www.usca.edu/chemistry/spectra/erythrosin.htm Erythrosin B
  25. http://chemicalland21.com/lifescience/foco/ERYTHROSINE%20B.htm Erythrosine

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