Food colors are quite common today. And the dye E102, or tartrazine, has chemical properties that are detrimental to the human body, so it is included in the list of potentially dangerous and toxic substances. Why is tartrazine so harmful and what is it?
E102 properties
Food colors are obtained from natural sources (beta-carotene, turmeric), but most of them are chemically synthesized. It is to them that the dye tartrazine belongs, which is based on coal tar, which, according to the industrial classification, is classified as industrial waste. The popularity of tartrazine is due to its chemical properties and the lowest possible cost.
E102 dyes products yellow, but it is often mixed with other dyes to obtain a variety of shades.
In European countries, the composition of tartrazine was considered so harmful to the body that for a long time the use of this chemical was strictly prohibited there. However, the European Union recently lifted its ban on tartrazine - after all, manufacturers of products using it in their production provide themselves and the states with very impressive profits.
Harm of tartrazine
Despite the cancellation of the ban on the use of E102, European legislators obliged manufacturers using tartrazine to indicate on the packaging all the chemical elements that make up the product. The consumer has the right to know what he is buying and decide what to buy - an inexpensive product with tartrazine or more expensive, but a natural product.
An important fact - the harm of tartrazine to human health is a scientifically proven fact.
A number of studies, tests and experiments were carried out by European and American doctors, the results of which clearly showed that the food coloring E102 is a potent allergen. It can provoke the appearance of a skin rash (urticaria) and negatively affect the child's body, as well as the child's concentration. In addition, the latest research by world scientists is closely related to identifying the relationship between the harmful tartrazine and the development of malignant neoplasms.
Today, the use of food coloring E102 in the manufacture of products is strictly regulated by the legislative framework of many countries. However, some manufacturers ignore good faith and do not comply with the permitted level of tartrazine in their products. Therefore, before buying a product or eating it, you must carefully read the composition on the packaging and try to avoid products with tartrazine.
