What is Sunset Yellow as a Food Additive?

Sunset Yellow Structure
Sunset Yellow, a water-soluble azo colorant.

Sensory requirements

Sunset yellow is our country approved the use of food additives, it is odorless, soluble in water, glycerol, propylene glycol, slightly soluble in ethanol, insoluble in oils and fats, orange-yellow in neutral or acidic aqueous solution, alkali to reddish-brown, easy to color, high firmness. At the same time, it has strong moisture absorption, heat resistance, light resistance.
Hazard
Sunset Yellow has a certain degree of irritation, will cause a certain degree of impact on the eyes, respiratory system and skin, inadvertent contact with the eyes, please immediately flush with plenty of water and seek medical advice. Appropriate protective clothing should be worn in case of contact.
Prolonged consumption of foods with excessive additives of these azo-colors can increase the detoxification burden of the liver and seriously impair liver function. Some studies have shown that long-term intake of artificial additives can affect children’s intelligence and lead to behavioral disorders such as ADHD.
People who consume large amounts of food with excessive coloring content such as lemon yellow and sunset yellow for a long period of time or at one time may cause allergies, diarrhea and other symptoms. When the intake is too large and exceeds the load on the liver, it will accumulate in the body and cause some damage to the kidneys and liver.
Toxicological data: 1. Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) 0-2.5mg/kg (FAO/WHO, 1994). 2. Lethal Dose (LD50) >2.0g/kg (rat, oral). 3. Not allowed to be used in food in Norway and Finland. 4.
Applications
“Sunset Yellow is a food additive approved for use in China. It is produced by diazotizing p-aminobenzenesulfonic acid, coupling it with 2-naphthol-6-sulfonic acid and refining it. It is mainly used for the coloring of food and medicine, and can also be used in the manufacture of aluminum salt color pigment. The use of “Sunset Yellow” is limited to confectionery, fruit flavored syrups, beverages, prepared wines, jellies, puffed foods and other food products, and all have the corresponding maximum use amount. “The scope of use of Sunset Yellow does not include raw or fresh meat and cooked meat products.
Safety
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which is the authority for safety evaluation of food additives, has evaluated the safety of Sunset Yellow and concluded that the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of this additive is 0-2.5mg/kg.
For a food additive, the ADI is an estimate of the permissible daily intake (ADI) for a person to consume a food additive without significant health risk based on body weight. For example, if the ADI for sunset yellow is 2.5mg/kg for a person weighing 60kg, the daily intake of sunset yellow for this person would be: 2.5mg x 60kg = 150mg.
The ADIs of food additives and the potential intake of human body are the basis for food safety risk assessment and the formulation of the Hygienic Standard for the Use of Food Additives (HSUFA). That is to say, the scope of use and the use amount of sunset yellow stipulated in the Hygienic Standard for the Use of Food Additives are made on the basis of the risk assessment after considering the permitted daily intake of sunset yellow and the possible daily intake of consumers, which can guarantee the health of consumers.
According to China’s national standard GB 2760-2014 “National Standard for Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives”, the maximum use limit of sunset yellow in carbonated beverages, fruit and vegetable juice beverages is 0.1g/kg.
In view of the fact that the majority of residents in China usually eat family meals, it is generally not a significant health hazard as long as they do not regularly consume, in large quantities, foods sold on the market with excessive levels of sunset yellow.