Researchers say that consumption of Allura Red meals dye over the long run could be a potential set off of inflammatory bowel ailments (IBDs), Crohn’s illness, and ulcerative colitis. This meals dye is a typical ingredient in candies, smooth drinks, dairy merchandise, and a few cereals.
Scientists discovered that continuous publicity to Allura Red AC harms intestine well being and promotes irritation.
Allura Red (additionally referred to as FD&C Red 40 and Food Red 17), is a typical ingredient in meals starting from candies and smooth drinks to dairy merchandise and breakfast cereals.
Long-term consumption of Allura Red meals dye could be a potential set off of inflammatory bowel ailments (IBDs), together with Crohn’s illness and ulcerative colitis, in keeping with Waliul Khan from McMaster University. Using experimental animal fashions of IBD, researchers found that continuous publicity to Allura Red AC harms intestine well being and promotes irritation.
The dye instantly disrupts intestine barrier perform and will increase the manufacturing of serotonin, a hormone/neurotransmitter discovered within the intestine, which subsequently alters intestine microbiota composition resulting in elevated susceptibility to colitis.
Waliul Khan. Credit: McMaster University
Khan mentioned Allura Red (additionally referred to as FD&C Red 40 and Food Red 17), is a typical ingredient in candies, smooth drinks, dairy merchandise, and a few cereals. The dye is used so as to add coloration and texture to foodstuffs, typically to draw youngsters.
The use of artificial meals dyes resembling Allura Red has elevated considerably during the last a number of many years, however there was little earlier research of those dyes’ results on intestine well being. Khan and his workforce printed their findings on December 20 within the journal Nature Communications. Yun Han (Eric) Kwon, who recently completed PhD in Khan’s laboratory, is first author.
“This study demonstrates significant harmful effects of Allura Red on gut health and identifies gut serotonin as a critical factor mediating these effects. These findings have important implication in the prevention and management of gut inflammation,” said Khan, the study’s senior author, a professor of the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and a principal investigator of Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute.
“What we have found is striking and alarming, as this common synthetic food dye is a possible dietary trigger for IBDs. This research is a significant advance in alerting the public on the potential harms of food dyes that we consume daily,” he said.
“The literature suggests that the consumption of Allura Red also affects certain allergies, immune disorders, and behavioral problems in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
Khan said that IBDs are serious chronic inflammatory conditions of the human bowel that affect millions of people worldwide. While their exact causes are still not fully understood, studies have shown that dysregulated immune responses, genetic factors, gut microbiota imbalances, and environmental factors can trigger these conditions.
In recent years there has been significant progress in identifying susceptibility genes and understanding the role of the immune system and host microbiota in the pathogenesis of IBDs. However, similar advances in defining environmental risk factors have lagged, he said.
Khan said that environmental triggers for IBDs include the typical Western diet, which includes processed fats, red and processed meats, sugar, and a lack of fiber. He added that the Western diet and processed food also include large amounts of various additives and dyes.
He added that the study suggests a link between a commonly used food dye and IBDs and warrants further exploration between food dyes and IBDs at experimental, epidemiological, and clinical levels.
Reference: “Chronic exposure to synthetic food colorant Allura Red AC promotes susceptibility to experimental colitis via intestinal serotonin in mice” by Yun Han Kwon, Suhrid Banskota, Huaqing Wang, Laura Rossi, Jensine A. Grondin, Saad A. Syed, Yeganeh Yousefi, Jonathan D. Schertzer, Katherine M. Morrison, Michael G. Wade, Alison C. Holloway, Michael G. Surette, Gregory R. Steinberg and Waliul I. Khan, 20 December 2022, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35309-y
The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
