Tartrazine

"Yellow 5" redirects here. For the rock band, see Yellow No. 5.

Chemical structure of tartrazine, C₁₆H₉N₄Na₃O₉S₂

Space-filling model of tartrazine - the sodium ions are shown in purple.

Inca Kola would be colorless without tartrazine.

Tartrazine (otherwise known as E102 or FD&C Yellow 5) is a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye used as a food coloring. It is derived from coal tar. It is water solublehttp://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Tartrazine-9927619 and has a max absorbance in an aqueous solution at 427±2Log In (ACS Publications) nm.

Tartrazine is a very commonly used color in Africa and Sweden — obviously used for yellow, but can also be used with E133 Brilliant Blue FCF or E142 Green S to produce various green shades.

Products containing tartrazine

Foods

The foods in the following list may contain Tartrazine, depending on the manufacturer or the cook in charge; however, for several decades (since the 1950s) they have been known to frequently have various proportions of it, while nowadays the trend is to avoid its addition, or to substitute natural dying substances for it, like anatto, malt color, or betacarotene (see Sensitivities & Intolerance, below).

Confectionery, soft drinks, instant puddings, flavored chips (Doritos, Nachos, etc), cereals (corn flakes, muesli, etc.), cake mixes, pastries, custard powder, soups (particularly instant or "cube" soups), sauces, some rices (like paella, risotto, etc.), kool-aid, ice cream, ice lollies, candy, chewing gum, marzipan, jam, jelly, gelatins, marmalade, mustard, horseradish, yogurt, noodles, pickles and other pickled products, certain brands of fruit squash, fruit cordial, chips, tim tams, and many convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products.

Non-food products

Soaps, cosmetics, shampoos and other hair products, moisturizers, crayons and stamp dyes.

Medications

Vitamins, antacids, medicinal capsules and certain prescription drugs.

Sensitivities and intolerance

Tartrazine appears to cause the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly among those with an aspirin intolerance and asthmatics.E102 Tartrazine, FD&C yellow No.5. UK Food Guide. Retrieved on 2007-11-30. Symptoms from tartrazine sensitivity can occur by either ingestion or cutaneous exposure to a substance containing tartrazine.^{[citation needed]}

A variety of immunologic responses have been attribute to Tartrazine ingestion, including anxiety, migraines, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heatwaves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches, and sleep disturbance.^{[citation needed]} Some claim to experience symptoms of tartrazine sensitivity even at extremely small doses, and up to 72 hours after exposure.^{[citation needed]} In children, asthma attacks and hives in children have been claimed, including supposed links to thyroid tumors, chromosomal damage, hives, and hyperactivity. Food Reactions website

The mechanism of sensitivity is obscure and has been called pseudoallergic. The prevalence of tartrazine intolerance is estimated at roughly 360,000 Americans affected, about 0.12% of the general population.^{[citation needed]} According to the FDA, tartrazine causes hives in fewer than 1 in 10,000 people, or 0.01%.Does FD&C Yellow No. 5 cause any allergic reactions?. United States Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.

Some researchers have linked tartrazine to childhood Obsessive-compulsive disorder and hyperactivity.Synthetic food coloring and behavior: a dose respo...[J Pediatr. 1994] - PubMed Result A study commissioned by the UK\'s Food Standards Agency found that when used in a mixture of other colors and preservatives, increased levels of hyperactivity in children were observed."Myomancy" 7th September 2007

It is not clear to what extent these problems can be specifically linked to tartrazine in affected individuals. The existence of a sensitivity reaction is well-known, but the existence of more extreme effects remain controversial. The incidence of tartrazine intolerance is fairly low as as indicated above, and there is much controversy about whether tartrazine has ill effects on individuals who are not clearly intolerant.

Total avoidance is the most common way to deal with tartrazine sensitivity,Tartrazine sensitivity. [Am Fam Physician. 1990] - PubMed Result but progress has been made in reducing people’s tartrazine sensitivity in a study of people who are simultaneously sensitive to both aspirin and tartrazine.PubMed 6721262

Regulation

Because of the problem of tartrazine intolerance, the United States requires the presence of tartrazine to be declared on food and drug products (21 CFR 74.1705, 21 CFR 201.20). The FDA regularly seizes products found to be containing undeclared tartrazine; these have often included Chinese "egg noodles."[1]

The use of tartrazine is banned in Norway, and was also banned in Austria and Germany until the ban was overturned by a European Union directive^{[citation needed]}.

Organic foods typically use betacarotene as an additive when yellow color is desired and more use has been made of Annatto (E160b) for non-organic foods.

Myths

Rumors began circulating about Yellow 5 in the 1990s regarding a link to its consumption and adverse affects on male potency and penis size. These rumors most likely were spun from confirmed cases of allergic reactions and sensitivities to Tartrazine. There are no documented cases supporting the claim that Yellow 5 will shrink a man\'s penis or cause it to stop growing.

References

External links

• Color Additives Information (Food and Drug Administration)
• FDA Docket to delist Yellow #5 (Food and Drug Administration)
• MSDS for Tartrazine (MSDS)

• Electrochemical Studies on a Pharmaceutical Azo Dye: Tartrazine (American Chemical Society)

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia