Health issue
Level of Concern
Source
Synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in children.
Only in: Food Scores®
high
2021. Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes in Children. California Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
EFSA finds that there is "limited evidence" that Yellow 5 in a mixture with other synthetic colours and sodium benzoate has a "small and statistically significant effect on activity and attention in children selected from the general population."
Only in: Food Scores®
moderate
European Food Safety Authority. 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation Tartrazine (E 102). EFSA Journal 7(11), 1331.
European Food Safety Authority reviewed study of children ingesting food colorings and concluded that it provided "limited evidence" that the mixture had a small and statistically significant effect on activity and attention in children.
Only in: Food Scores®
moderate
European Food Safety Authority & Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Food Contact Materials (AFC). 2008. Assessment of the results of the study by McCann et al. (2007) on the effect of some colours and sodium benzoate on children’s behaviour, Question No EFSA-Q-2007-171. EFSA Journall 660, 1.
EFSA finds that there is "limited evidence" that Yellow 5 in a mixture with other synthetic colours and sodium benzoate has a "small and statistically significant effect on activity and attention in children selected from the general population."
Only in: Food Scores®
moderate
European Food Safety Authority. 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation Tartrazine (E 102). EFSA Journal 7(11), 1331.
European Food Safety Authority reviewed study of children ingesting food colorings and concluded that it provided "limited evidence" that the mixture had a small and statistically significant effect on activity and attention in children.
Only in: Food Scores®
moderate
European Food Safety Authority & Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Food Contact Materials (AFC). 2008. Assessment of the results of the study by McCann et al. (2007) on the effect of some colours and sodium benzoate on children’s behaviour, Question No EFSA-Q-2007-171. EFSA Journall 660, 1.
Review article concluded that chemical can cause hyperactivity in children.
some
Peer Reviewed Literature: Kobylewski, S. & Jacobson, M.F. 2012. Toxicology of food dyes. International journal of occupational and environmental health 18(3), 220-46.
Review article concluded that chemical can cause hyperactivity in children.
some
Peer Reviewed Literature: Kobylewski, S. & Jacobson, M.F. 2012. Toxicology of food dyes. International journal of occupational and environmental health 18(3), 220-46.
EFSA concludes that some sensitive individuals may experience allergic reactions at dose levels within the ADI.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
European Food Safety Authority. 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation Tartrazine (E 102). EFSA Journal 7(11), 1331.
EFSA concludes that some sensitive individuals may experience allergic reactions at dose levels within the ADI.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
European Food Safety Authority. 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation Tartrazine (E 102). EFSA Journal 7(11), 1331.
A review article conclused that this substance may be carcinogenic at high or cumulative exposures, which are unlikely to occur.
some
Peer Reviewed Literature: Amchova, P., H. Kotolova & J. Ruda-Kucerova. 2015. Health safety issues of synthetic food colorants. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP 73(3), 914-22.
A peer-reviewed study reports this substance shows estrogenic activity in a human cell line.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Andrew Axon, Felicity E. B. May, Luke E. Gaughan, Faith M. Williams, Peter G. Blain & Matthew C. Wright. 2012. Tartrazine and sunset yellow are xenoestrogens in a new screening assay to identify modulators of human oestrogen receptor transcriptional activity. Toxicology 298(1-3), 40-51.
Ingestion of tartrazine was associated with behavioral changes in irritability, restlessness, and sleep disturbance in some children.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
K. S. Rowe & K. J. Rowe. 1994. Synthetic food coloring and behavior: a dose response effect in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures study. The Journal of pediatrics 125(5 Pt 1), 691-8.
Eating a mix of artificial colors with sodium benzoate result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Donna McCann, Angelina Barrett, Alison Cooper, Debbie Crumpler, Lindy Dalen, Kate Grimshaw, Elizabeth Kitchin, Kris Lok, Lucy Porteous, Emily Prince, Edmund Sonuga-Barke, John O. Warner & Jim Stevenson. 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.
A review article conclused that this substance may be carcinogenic at high or cumulative exposures, which are unlikely to occur.
some
Peer Reviewed Literature: Amchova, P., H. Kotolova & J. Ruda-Kucerova. 2015. Health safety issues of synthetic food colorants. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP 73(3), 914-22.
A peer-reviewed study found that this substance caused neurobehavioral effects in animals at high doses.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Toyohito Tanaka. 2006. Reproductive and neurobehavioural toxicity study of tartrazine administered to mice in the diet. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association 44(2), 179-87.
A peer-reviewed study found that this substance caused neurobehavioral effects in animals at high doses.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Toyohito Tanaka, Osamu Takahashi, Shinshi Oishi & Akio Ogata. 2008. Effects of tartrazine on exploratory behavior in a three-generation toxicity study in mice. Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 26(2), 156-63.
A peer-reviewed study reports this substance shows estrogenic activity in a human cell line.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Andrew Axon, Felicity E. B. May, Luke E. Gaughan, Faith M. Williams, Peter G. Blain & Matthew C. Wright. 2012. Tartrazine and sunset yellow are xenoestrogens in a new screening assay to identify modulators of human oestrogen receptor transcriptional activity. Toxicology 298(1-3), 40-51.
Ingestion of tartrazine was associated with behavioral changes in irritability, restlessness, and sleep disturbance in some children.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
K. S. Rowe & K. J. Rowe. 1994. Synthetic food coloring and behavior: a dose response effect in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures study. The Journal of pediatrics 125(5 Pt 1), 691-8.
Eating a mix of artificial colors with sodium benzoate result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Donna McCann, Angelina Barrett, Alison Cooper, Debbie Crumpler, Lindy Dalen, Kate Grimshaw, Elizabeth Kitchin, Kris Lok, Lucy Porteous, Emily Prince, Edmund Sonuga-Barke, John O. Warner & Jim Stevenson. 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.
A peer-reviewed study found that this substance caused neurobehavioral effects in animals at high doses.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Kamel, M.M. & El-lethey, H.S. 2011. The Potential Health Hazard of Tartrazine and Levels of Hyperactivity, Anxiety-Like Symptoms, Depression and Anti-social behaviour in Rats. Journal of American Science 7(6), 1211-8.
Review article concluded that chemical caused hypersensitivity reactions.
some
Peer Reviewed Literature: Kobylewski, S. & Jacobson, M.F. 2012. Toxicology of food dyes. International journal of occupational and environmental health 18(3), 220-46.
Review article concluded that chemical caused hypersensitivity reactions.
some
Peer Reviewed Literature: Kobylewski, S. & Jacobson, M.F. 2012. Toxicology of food dyes. International journal of occupational and environmental health 18(3), 220-46.
A peer-reviewed study found that this substance caused neurobehavioral effects in animals at high doses.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Kamel, M.M. & El-lethey, H.S. 2011. The Potential Health Hazard of Tartrazine and Levels of Hyperactivity, Anxiety-Like Symptoms, Depression and Anti-social behaviour in Rats. Journal of American Science 7(6), 1211-8.
A peer-reviewed study found that this substance caused neurobehavioral effects in animals at high doses.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Toyohito Tanaka. 2006. Reproductive and neurobehavioural toxicity study of tartrazine administered to mice in the diet. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association 44(2), 179-87.
A peer-reviewed study found that this substance caused neurobehavioral effects in animals at high doses.
Only in: Food Scores®
some
Toyohito Tanaka, Osamu Takahashi, Shinshi Oishi & Akio Ogata. 2008. Effects of tartrazine on exploratory behavior in a three-generation toxicity study in mice. Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 26(2), 156-63.
Allergic reactions have been reported in humans.
some
European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). 2004. OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS Concerning Acid Yellow 23. SCCNFP/0786/04.
Allergic reactions have been reported in humans.
some
European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). 2004. OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS Concerning Acid Yellow 23. SCCNFP/0786/04.
NTP Toxcast scored 1.5-2.5
some
National Toxicology Program (NTP): EWG Toxcast Analysis
NTP Toxcast scored 1.5-2.5
some
National Toxicology Program (NTP): EWG Toxcast Analysis
Developmental neurotoxicity observed in chicken embryos.
some
Aysegul Ozdemir Ovalioglu, Talat Cem Ovalioglu, Gokhan Canaz, Aysegul Esen Aydin, Sema Arslan, Mehmet Sar & Erhan Emel. 2020. Effects of Tartrazine on Neural Tube Development in the Early Stage of Chicken Embryos. Turkish neurosurgery 30(4), 583-587.
No genotoxicity observed in an in vivo assay.
low
Maria Bastaki, Thomas Farrell, Sachin Bhusari, Kamala Pant & Rohan Kulkarni. 2017. Lack of genotoxicity in vivo for food color additive Tartrazine. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association 105, 278-284.
No reproductive or developmental effects observed in animal tests.
low
European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). 2004. OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS Concerning Acid Yellow 23. SCCNFP/0786/04.
No reproductive or developmental effects observed in animal tests.
low
European Commission, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). 2004. OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS Concerning Acid Yellow 23. SCCNFP/0786/04.
Health issue
Level of Concern
Source
Impurity: BIPHENYL-2-YLAMINE
Suspected of causing cancer
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Suspected of causing genetic defects
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
May cause cancer
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Very toxic to aquatic life
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Fatal if inhaled
Only in: Household Cleaners
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Suspected of damaging fertility.
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Suspected of damaging the unborn child.
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: CADMIUM
Carcinogenic to humans
some
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): Agents classified by the IARC Monographs (through Volume 127)
Impurity: CADMIUM
Known To Be Human Carcinogen
some
National Toxicology Program (NTP): NTP 14th Report on Carcinogens
Impurity: CADMIUM
Probably carcinogenic to humans
some
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) - Cancer
Impurity: CADMIUM
kidney damage
some
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH): Threshold Limit Value (TLV) Basis
Impurity: CADMIUM
suspected human carcinogen
some
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH): Threshold Limit Value (TLV) Basis
Impurity: BIPHENYL-2-YLAMINE
Harmful if swallowed
Only in: Household Cleaners
some
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes
Impurity: BIPHENYL-2-YLAMINE
Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects
low
EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes: GHS Hazard Codes