title: Toxicity of tomato red, a popular food dye blend on male albino mice.
abstract: Colour in food is an integral part of our culture and is also indispensable to the modern day consumer. During the past several decades, the technology of food processing has changed dramatically and the growth in the use of synthetic food colours as an individual dye or in the form of blends has increased enormously. In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to evaluate the toxic effects of a commonly used dye blend, tomato red on male Swiss albino mice. The mice were treated orally with 2 and 6g/kg body weight/day for 42 days. The present study revealed an increase in the body weight and liver weight. However, a decrease was recorded in the weights of kidneys and testes. Histopathological study revealed severe degenerative changes in the liver, kidney and testes. In conclusion, the use of the dye blend in various food items has adverse effect on the vital organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004, India.
authors.forename: Shipra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Rajendra P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: Geetanjali
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chakravarty
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates; C006671:azo rubin S; C576297:ponceau 4R