Abstract
The use of Sunset yellow as food colorants in non-alcoholic drinks, beverages and confectionery is rising despite their problems upon consumption by humans. It is therefore, necessary to constantly monitor the concentrations of these dyes in our foods, beverages and confectionery because of their health-related issues that include hyperactivity in children and immune system compromise. For these reasons, the concentration of sunset yellow used as colorants was determined in ten different brands of confectionaries using the spectrophotometric method of analysis. A cross-sectional primary data was obtained through experimental procedures in ten different samples of confectionary products procured (Central Market Katsina, Nigeria). The results shown that the concentration for the two samples; E and I are 52.311±0.178 mg/L and 87.887±0.018 mg/L respectively were found to be above the acceptable permissible limit of 50mg/L, while for the remaining eight samples; A, B, C, D, F, G, H, and J are, 46.523±0.116 mg/L, 49.364±0.418 mg/L, 41.924±0.029 mg/L, 27.853±0.029 mg/L, 33.045±0.018 mg/L, 29.515±0.028 mg/L, 34.250±0.019 mg/L and 33.295±0.018 mg/L respectively are within the acceptable permissible limit of 50 mg/L in accordance to Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and council establishing a Union list of food additives. Therefore, the results justify the safe consumption of samples A, B, C, D, F, G, H and J but samples E and I are not safe for consumption due to their concentration levels found above 50 mg/L.
Highlights
Food dye can be any chemical substance or pigment that will impart color to our food
The concentration values were obtained from the linear equation of the Standard Sunset yellow (E-110) calibration curve
In Nigeria food additive regulations are enforced by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
Summary
Food dye can be any chemical substance or pigment that will impart color to our food. The natural food dyes are derived from grapes, saffron, paprika, carrots, beets, and algae, and are used to color a variety of foods. The artificial food dyes (AFCs), which are mostly derived from petroleum, contain a single, or more, azo functional group (– N=N–), which most frequently connects the two aromatic parts. People associate specific colors with specific flavors, colours of food can affect their perception of taste, especially their perception of sweets and beverages, (Nives et al, 2018). Artificial dyes may improve on natural variations in color, may enhance colors that occur naturally, or may provide color to colorless and “fun” food, thereby making it appear more attractive and appetizing – e.g. adding a red, yellow or green color to gummy sweets, which would naturally be colorless, (figure 1) below showing the samples of confectionery
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