John Myers
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Reason for dangerous dyes in food
- Coloring agents are often used to make food look attractive and like it is advertised. This is not objectionable when using natural dyes.
- However, the situation is different with synthetic dyes, which hide behind the often mysterious E numbers. Yellow dyes, such as those used in jam, mustard, pudding, and processed cheese, are particularly alarming.
Yellow dyes in food: These E numbers are dangerous
- If the substance E 102 is on the list of ingredients, the food was colored yellow with the artificial substance tartrazine. The substance is obtained from coal tar, which is not very appetizing. Tartrazine can cause allergic reactions such as skin rash or asthma attacks, as well as thyroid cancer.
- There are similar health concerns with E 110, the yellow-orange. Both substances have been shown to cause hyperactivity and poor attention span in children. Although the dye is not banned, it is only rarely found in food for these reasons.
- E 104 is the quinoline yellow. Some consumers can develop pseudoallergies here. The symptoms of an allergic reaction occur without having a detectable allergy. For all three substances, it is important to avoid them as much as possible or to limit consumption.
