E123 In Food And Cosmetics - Red Amaranth Dye

Author: Karen Lennox Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

E123 In Food And Cosmetics - Red Amaranth Dye

It is not possible to achieve toxic E123 poisoning by ingesting dye-stained food alone.

Amaranth is a dark red to purple dye used in the food and cosmetics industry, known by the international designation E123 . In the food industry it is most often used for the coloring of alcoholic (wines, beers, champagne), confectionery (creams, glazes, toppings) and fish products (fillets, caviar), and in the cosmetic - for the coloring of soaps and other sanitary products. It is most often prepared from petroleum by-products.

The popular name of the dye is associated with the pseudo-wheat plant amaranth, whose red color and protein-rich seeds are well known.

By its chemical nature, E123 is characterized as an azo dye - a dye containing a nitrogen group (-N = N-). The toxicity of amaranth is very low and cannot be achieved by eating only foods containing E123. Their lethal dose of LD50 is over 1400 mg per kilogram of body weight. Due to the low concentrations of colorant applied in foods containing E123, this means that more than 100 kg of E123-containing products must be ingested per day for poisoning. The compound is water soluble and does not accumulate in the human body.

E123 does not cause allergic reactions when consumed in safe amounts, but the azo dyes contained in some textile products may lead to skin hypersensitivity and the development of an allergic reaction after contact.

There is conflicting evidence - some independent studies have demonstrated the safety of E123, while others rank it among the azo dyes that cause or worsen asthma symptoms . This is thought to be due to as yet unknown molecular mechanisms that cause the dye to act as a stimulant for the release of histamine - an organic compound involved in the activity of local inflammation and other immunological reactions and a major cause of allergic reactions such as skin rashes. red eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing and airway constriction.

In 1976, in the United States, this dye was banned for use in food and textiles due to suspicions of its carcinogenic potential, and in 1971 a Russian study demonstrated a link between azo dye and eye cancer. In the European Union, E123 is still used to color food, beverages and textiles.

E123 In Food And Cosmetics - Red Amaranth Dye

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