Sunset Yellow FCF.html |
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| Sunset Yellow FCF | |
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| IUPAC name | Disodium 6-hydroxy-5-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfononate |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 2783-94-0 |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C16H10Na2O7S2N2 |
| Molar mass | 452.37 g/mol |
| Melting point |
300 °C |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references |
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Sunset Yellow FCF (also known as Orange Yellow S, FD&C Yellow 6 or C.I. 15985) is a colourant that may be added to foods to induce a colour change. It is denoted by E Number E110, and has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction.
It is a synthetic coal tar and azo yellow dye useful in fermented foods which must be heat treated. It may be found in orange squash, orange jelly, marzipan, Swiss roll, apricot jam, citrus marmalade, lemon curd, sweets, hot chocolate mix and packet soups, trifle mix, breadcrumbs and cheese sauce mix and soft drinks. Specifically it can be found in the capsules of DayQuil (in high concentrations), some extra strength Tylenol, Astro peach yogurt (potentially others), fortune cookies, some red sauces, certain pound cakes, snack chips and other yellow, orange, and red food products.
Sunset Yellow is often used in conjunction with E123, Amaranth, in order to produce a brown colouring in both chocolates and caramel.
At high concentrations, Sunset Yellow in solution with water undergoes a phase change from an isotropic liquid to a nematic liquid crystal. This occurs between 0.8 M and 0.9 M at room temperature.
Possible health effects
Sunset Yellow is a sulfonated version of Sudan I, a possible carcinogen, which is frequently present in it as an impurity. Sunset Yellow itself may be responsible for causing an allergic reaction in people with an aspirin intolerance,1 resulting in various symptoms including gastric upset, diarrhoea, vomiting, nettle rash (urticaria) and swelling of the skin (angioedema).2 The colouring has also been linked to hyperactivity in young children.3 As a result of these problems, there have been repeated calls for the total withdrawal of Sunset Yellow from food use.
On 6 September 2007, the British Food Standards Agency revised advice on certain artificial food additives, including E110. Professor Jim Stevenson from Southampton University, and author of the report, said: "This has been a major study investigating an important area of research. The results suggest that consumption of certain mixtures of artificial food colours and sodium benzoate preservative are associated with increases in hyperactive behaviour in children.
"However, parents should not think that simply taking these additives out of food will prevent hyperactive disorders. We know that many other influences are at work but this at least is one a child can avoid."
The following additives were tested in the research:
- Sunset yellow (E110) (FD&C Yellow #6) - Colouring found in squashes
- Carmoisine (E122) - Red colouring in jellies
- Tartrazine (E102) (FD&C Yellow #5) - Yellow colouring
- Ponceau 4R (E124) - Red colouring
- Sodium benzoate (E211) - Preservative
- Quinoline yellow (E104) - Food colouring
- Allura red AC (E129) (FD&C Red #40) - Orange / red food dye45
On 10 April 2008, the Foods Standard Agency called for a voluntary removal of the colours (but not sodium benzoate) by 2009.6 In addition, it recommended that there should be action to phase them out in food and drink in the European Union (EU) over a specified period.7
It is banned in Norway and Finland. 8
In August 2008 a proposed EU deal specified that food and drinks containing any of six artificial colourings (mentioned above) that may be linked to hyperactive behaviour in children will have to carry warnings, including Sunset Yellow. The requirement would apply to imports as well as those made in the EU.9 Hundreds of products containing the colourings are expected to disappear from shops in the period 2008-2010 following the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) call for a voluntary ban on their use in food products.9 UK ministers have agreed that the six colourings will be phased out by 2009.10
References
- ^ Ibero M, Eseverri JL, Barroso C, Botey J (1982). "Dyes, preservatives and salicylates in the induction of food intolerance and/or hypersensitivity in children". Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 10 (4): 263–8. PMID 6295125.
- ^ Schultz-Ehrenburg U, Gilde O (1987). "[Results of studies in chronic urticaria with special reference to nutritional factors]" (in German). Z. Hautkr. 62 Suppl 1: 88–95. PMID 3442085.
- ^ McCann D, Barrett A, Cooper A, et al (November 2007). "Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial". Lancet 370 (9598): 1560–7. doi:. PMID 17825405.
- ^ Parents warned of additives link
- ^ Donna McCann , Angelina Barrett, Alison Cooper, Debbie Crumpler, Lindy Dalen, Kate Grimshaw, Elizabeth Kitchin, Kris Lok, Lucy Porteous, Emily Prince, Prof Edmund Sonuga-Barke, Prof John O Warner and Prof Jim Stevenson Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial The Lancet 2007; 370:1560-1567 DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3
- ^ BBC Europe-wide food colour ban call 10 April 2008
- ^ FSA Board discusses colours advice 10 April 2008
- ^ CBC News In Depth: Food Safety
- ^ a b "EU plans warning labels on artificial colours". The Guardian. Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ BBC Ministers agree food colour ban 12 November 2008