Ponceau 4R Research Articles

Modified Electrochemical Sensors for the Detection of Selected Food Azo Dyes: A Review

AbstractThere are plenty of evidence that consuming high levels of azo dyes, such as Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow, Allura Red, Ponceau 4R, Amaranth, Sudan, and Azorubine, is associated with serious health problems. Therefore, electrochemical sensors have been developed for their effective detection, also offering low cost, portability, and the fact that they do not require harmful solvents. They are customarily employed in several electrochemical techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and square wave voltammetry. The most commonly employed materials in the manufacturing of electrochemical sensors are carbonaceous materials given their high stability, surface area, and conductivity. Employing these carbonaceous materials results in an enhanced sensitivity of electrochemical sensors when detecting azo dyes. To further improve the sensors, these materials are modified with metal oxides, polymers, polysaccharide, ionic liquids, and metal nanoparticles, allowing the detection of ultra‐sensitive traces of azo dyes. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the characteristics of modified carbonaceous materials and their applications for the detection of food azo dyes, along with a summary of the currently employed electroanalytical detection methods. Additionally, this review discusses the development of novel nanomaterials and their technological advances, while exploring their potential environmental and health impacts within the food industry.

Evaluation of mutagenic activity of the food dye Ponceau 4R in a micronuclear test in mice

Introduction. Food monoazo dye E124 Ponceau 4R is used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. An analysis of the available data on the evaluation of the genetic safety of E124 based on the main marker events of genotoxicity revealed their inconsistency, possibly associated with quantitative and/or qualitative differences in the studied samples for impurities. 
 The aim of the work is to evaluate the mutagenic activity in the micronucleus test in mice of several commercial samples of E124 present on the domestic market.
 Materials and methods. Three samples of E124 from different manufacturers (India) were studied. To assess the identity of Ponceau 4R substances, there was used method of MIR-spectroscopy – universal ART technique. Aqueous dye solutions were administered to the stomach of male CBA × C57Bl6/j) mice at doses 
 of 125 to 2000 mg/kg twice with an interval of 24 hours and preparations were prepared 24 hours after the last injection. To assess the frequency of polychromatophilic erythrocytes (PCE) with micronuclei (MN), 4000 PCE were analyzed, the proportion of PCE among all erythrocytes – 500 cells per animal.
 Results. Ponceau 4 R was determined in all samples. All E124 samples caused an increase in the frequency of PCE with MN (p < 0.05–0.001, T test) after exposure at all levels studied in a linear dose-dependent manner. The proportion of PCE from all erythrocytes did not change. 
 Limitations. The data obtained do not allow determining the mechanism of the genotoxic action of the test substance.
 Conclusion. An analysis of the frequency of MN PCEs in the bone marrow in mice after a double injection at doses of 125–2000 mg/kg revealed the genotoxicity of three samples Ponceau 4R.

Single-walled carbon nanotube coated with Ponceau4R-doped over-oxidized polypyrrole as a sensitive sensor for voltammetric monitoring of salbutamol

A sensitive voltammetric sensor is fabricated by the electrochemical oxidation of polypyrrole (PPy) on a glassy carbon electrode surface covered with a thin film of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT/GCE). Ponceau4R (P4R) used as an anionic dopant controlled the structure, stability, conductivity, and electrochemical properties of the PPy. The porosity and oxygen-containing active sites on the P4R-PPy/SWCNT/GCE were increased by over-oxidation of the PPy layer to achieve P4R-oPPY/SWCNT/GCE. Morphology features of the P4R-oPPY/SWCNT layer are thoroughly characterized using microscopy instruments. The salbutamol (SAL) voltammetric behavior is evaluated by P4R-oPPY/SWCNT/GCE and a mechanism for its electrochemical oxidation is proposed. Optimizing the important parameters in the electrode modification procedure, including the amount of SWCNT and electrochemically deposited P4R-oPPY, and SAL sensing steps such as the solution pH, potential and accumulation time of SAL are optimized precisely. At the best condition, a ~ 20 times enhancement of the SAL oxidation current was observed by P4R-oPPY/SWCNT modifier. Using P4R-oPPY/SWCNT/GCE, a wide two-part linear range of 0.02–10 μM with a detection limit of 6 nM is resulted in the electrochemical measurement of SAL. The P4R-oPPY/SWCNT/GCE with good reproducibility and stability succeeded in correctly measuring SAL in pharmaceutical and clinical samples.

Catalytic Ozonation of Ponceau 4R Using Multifunctional Magnetic Biochar Prepared from Rubber Seed Shell

Catalytic Ozonation of Ponceau 4R Using Multifunctional Magnetic Biochar Prepared from Rubber Seed Shell

Rapid and non-destructive detection of ponceau 4R red colored pork

The characteristic colour of pork desired by consumers is a widespread phenomenon on the Ghanaian market that has led to some suspected adulteration practices. Currently available methods for monitoring pork quality are time consuming but above all, destructive (destroys the integrity of meat). This study aimed to develop rapid models that can be used to detect, classify and predict the presence of ponceau 4R in fresh pork in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana using near-infrared spectroscopy together with chemometrics. Fresh pork samples, 120 obtained from the markets and 120 adulterated artificially in the laboratory, were subjected to near-infrared measurements. The spectra obtained were evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR). PCA and LDA showed that scanning the skin of the pork and pretreating the spectra with Savitzky-Golay smoothing sufficed for further chemometric analysis. The classification models built using LDA showed similarities between samples obtained from the markets and the artificially adulterated samples, indicating the presence of colour adulterant. The models also revealed the importance of processing time in making the adulterated meat more appealing to consumers. PLSR, however, yielded poor results for predicting colour and adulterant concentration. In effect, PCA and LDA methods proved to be better alternatives for the detection of colored pork adulteration and can be adopted for quality control applications together with near infrared spectroscopy.

Colorimetric detection of glyphosate by its competitive reaction against Ponceau 4R for copper ion

Glyphosate monitoring is important for protecting the environment, biodiversity, human health, and food safety, enabling the assessment of its potential risks to inform regulatory decisions and agricultural practices. This study introduces an automated screening method that employs a cost-effective and stable Ponceau 4R-copper (P4R-Cu) complex as the chromophore probe. Glyphosate, a notably potent chelating agent for Cu, can induce a highly efficient, dose-dependent color recovery at 505 nm, arising from the unchelated reaction of P4R with Cu. Under the optimal probe condition of 120 μM P4R and 90 μM Cu (prepared in 20 mM borate buffer, pH 9), the linear range for glyphosate detection is from 1 to 90 μM (R2 = 0.9990) with good repeatability (RSD < 4.9 %, n = 5, for all concentration points). The detection limit is 0.14 μM, with a sample throughput of over 20 determinations per hour. Moreover, it is free from interference by substances such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Pb2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Fe3+, Cr3+, CH3COO−, NO3−, CO32−, SO42−, aminomethyl phosphonic acid, glufosinate, glyphosate-based herbicide formulations, pool water, and tap water. These findings suggest that the proposed colorimetric method is reliable for the accurate and rapid quantification of glyphosate in real environmental samples.

Analyzing the presence of ten synthetic colors in selected food and drink samples using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection analysis

AbstractColoring agents in foods and drinks have been popular for centuries. This study aims to analyze the presence of ten synthetic colors (namely, (allura red (E129), amaranth (E123), sunset yellow (E110), tetrazine (E102), fast green (E143), ponceau 4R (New Coccine) (E124), erythrosin B (E127), brilliant blue FCF (E133), brilliant black (E151) and carmoisine (E122))) in food and drink samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD). The present analytical method was carried out using Agilent Poroshell 120 HPH-C18 column, 3 × 100 mm, 2.7 µm, and a mobile phase consisting of 10 mM Na2HPO4, pH 7, mixed with methanol as a time-increment gradient solution until the time was 20 min, then decreased with time until the time was 26 min. The pH was set by orthophosphoric acid at 7 and 5 μL injection volume, 0.50 mL flow rate, and the elution systems were monitored at 428 nm for E102, 518 nm for E124, E110, E129, E122, 530 nm for E151, E127, 622 nm for E143, and E133, respectively. The limit of detection and quantification for all colors ranged from 0.017 to 0.025 and 0.057 and 0.082 mg L−1, respectively. The correlation coefficient values ranged between 0.9991 and 1.0. The selectivity of the assay revealed no interference from other components in the analyzed samples. The percent recovery and precision (intra- and inter-day) of the spiked samples were within the acceptable limits of the ICH guidelines. Five analytical parameters were employed, and the results showed a new, novel, and robust method according to ICH guidelines for analyzing these colors. While most of the investigated food and drinks fell within the accepted range, some fell outside. The current sample preparation and analytical methods are comprehensive and universal for extracting and measuring synthetic colors in various food and drink samples.

Pt nanoparticles/laser-engraved graphene-based integrated electrochemical platform for point-of-use determination of ponceau 4R, amaranth and tartrazine in food

This study presents the first integrated electrochemical platform (IEP) with point-of-use and portable features for on-site determination of ponceau 4R (RP), amaranth (AM), and tartrazine (TZ) in food by integrating a mass-producible Pt nanoparticles/laser-engraved graphene (Pt NPs/LEG)-based sensing chip and a reusable electrochemical miniaturized workstation. The sensing chip utilizes Pt NPs/LEG with unique architectures as electrode material and exhibits desirable analytical performance towards RP, AM, or TZ with satisfied linear range (0.25–50 μM for RP, AM, and TZ), high sensitivity (7.29 μA μM−1 cm−2, 7.18 μA μM−1 cm−2, and 2.02 μA μM−1 cm−2 for RP, AM, and TZ, respectively) and low limit of detection (50 nM, 58 nM, and 204 nM for RP, AM, and TZ, respectively). The sensing chip shows excellent selectivity, high stability, outstanding reproducibility, and acceptable mechanical stability. IEP can be implemented to test RP, AM, or TZ in real samples with satisfactory accuracy and recoveries.

Classification and quantification of multiple adulterants simultaneously in black tea using spectral data coupled with chemometric analysis

Black tea is a popularly consumed beverage across the world. However, the adulteration of tea powder with extraneous colors is causing serious health threats. In the present study four such color adulterants viz., tartrazine, sunset yellow, carmoisine and ponceau 4R were simultaneously detected using FT-IR spectral data coupled with chemometric tools. PLS-DA (partial least squares discriminant analysis) was used for the classification of adulterants, whereas, PLS2 (multi response PLS) and LS-SVM (least-squares support vector machines) were used for quantification purpose. RCGA (real coded genetic algorithm) was used as a feature selection algorithm to obtain fewer fingerprints from the FT-IR spectrum of the adulterated tea powders. PLS-DA was able to predict with 100% accuracy for the samples spiked with all four adulterants when only 30 fingerprints for each adulterant were used. Amongst the regression algorithms, LS-SVM was observed to be superior over PLS2 having lower root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) for carmoisine and ponceau 4R when randomized statistical test was conducted. The prediction results had high regression coefficient (R2p >0.89) with REP values ranging between 10.90% and 18.40%, and RPD values in the range of 2.82–5.81, for simultaneous quantification four adulterants using 30 variables LS-SVM model. To study matrix effect, an additional experiment was carried to observe the effectiveness of above established methodologies. Towards this, six different indigenous commercial tea brands were selected and the robustness of these chemometric methods were demonstrated. This study provides a robust tool for infrared based simultaneous detection and quantification of four different color adulterants in black tea powders.

Three-dimensional dual-network magnetic conductive hydrogel for the highly sensitive electrochemical detection of ponceau 4R in foods

Synthetic pigment Ponceau 4 R is a commonly used additive in the process of various foods. Due to its potential toxicity to humans, realizing high sensitivity and rapid detection of Ponceau 4 R is extremely important. In this study, we synthesized a novel dual-network magnetic conductive hydrogel (MCHG) via a simple one-pot low temperature stirring method. In MCHG, cationic guar gum (CGG) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) formed a primary three-dimensional network cross-linked by N, N-methylene bisacrylamide. A second network was formed in MCHG by CGG, β-CD and magnetite@carboxylate-terminated carbon nanotubes (Fe3O4@COOH-MWCNTs) through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. Fe3O4@COOH-MWCNTs enhanced cross-linking in the MCHG hydrogel, whilst also boosting the equilibrium adsorption capacity of Ponceau 4 R (61.8 mg g−1), electrical conductivity and electrocatalytic performance. Application of MCHG to a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) created a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the detection of Ponceau 4 R. Under optimized testing conditions, the sensor offered a very wide linear range (0.01–200.0 μM) and a low limit of detection (1.8 nM) for Ponceau 4 R. When the sensor was applied to the detection of Ponceau 4 R in spiked honey and liqueur samples, excellent recoveries were achieved (88.2%–107.0%). Furthermore, analyses of commercial biscuit and candy samples using the MCHG/GCE sensor and a national standard ultraviolet spectrophotometry method afforded identical results. Results demonstrate that multifunctional hydrogels show great promise as signal amplification agents in electrochemical detection of target compounds in foods.

Augmented degradation of dyed organic pollutant using Fe2O3 supported on char formed from poultry slaughterhouse waste.

In this work, a novel support for an iron-based catalyst was prepared and employed for Ponceau 4R degradation by photo-Fenton reaction. To this, poultry waste was used for producing char, which was subsequently used to prepare the Fe2O3/Char composite. Process parameters, including catalyst dosage, pH, and hydrogen peroxide concentration, were investigated. The characterization analysis indicated that the textural properties of the composite were improved after impregnation with Fe2O3. The composite exhibited excellent catalytic activity, achieving a decolorization efficiency of 97% at 45min and 81.06% organic carbon removal at 300min. In addition, the material showed acceptable performance after four consecutive cycles. Furthermore, a scavenger test was performed to investigate the major reactive species involved in the Ponceau 4R oxidation, and a plausible mechanism for the respective reaction was projected. Therefore, the results of this research demonstrate that this material can be used as a potential catalyst for the abatement of dyed molecules from wastewater.

Synthesis of polymer dots as fluorescent nanoprobe for the detection of Ponceau 4R, an additive color abuse in food

Abusing organic dyes in industrial food products is an important issue in many countries. Rapid chemical sensing of these compounds can be of great importance during the industrial life of humans. In this work, we synthesized a new fluorescent polymer dot and successfully applied it as an optical probe for the detection of red color abuse in foodstuffs. Ponceau 4R is a red organic dye additive that is used in some foodstuffs such as tomato sauces or pastes. It is too hazardous to human health. Detection of such abusage is challenging. The development of π-conjugated polymer dots having a bright emission band at visible can be a promising probe for the detection of food color additives. A variety of methods and monomers were previously used for their synthesis. Here, the Suzuki Coupling method was employed. The limit of detection (LOD) of the method was obtained 16 nmol L−1 for the detection of Ponceau 4R.

A Study on Extraction Methods and Primary Toxicity Level of Bio Colourants

Bio-colourants for food are extracted from plant sources that it is becoming a huge demand in the global market of processed foods and confectionaries. Natural colours play a vital role in food safety and also in meeting the needs of food consumption practices for the growing crisis in the availability of healthy foods. Aim of the bio colours is to replace synthetic colours like sunset yellow FCF, Allura Red, Ponceau 4R, Amaranth and Brown HT as they are becoming a wide range of threat to the human race, especially in bringing psychological changes in children and adolescents. Usually bio-colourants are extracted from almost all the parts of a plant. But majority of the colours are extracted from leaves and barks, whereas few colours in specific are extracted from fruits, seeds and some from petals of flowers. In this study, bio-colouring agents such as madder roots (Rubia cordifolia), eucalyptus bark (Eucalyptus grandis), annatto seeds (Bixaorellana), roselle petals (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and tamarind seeds (Tamarindus indica) were identified and used in extraction of colours. The colours obtained were of different shades of red like: sangria red, rusty red and yellow red. These natural food colours were extracted from their natural sources through two processes:10 per cent aqueous extraction (reflux, boiling) and powdering the substances. The pH of the extracts was taken to know their level of hydrogen ion concentration. To verify,if these extracts are edible and stable, preliminary toxicology study was carried out in brine shrimp assay. On the other hand, every fourth day the discolouring of the extracts was constantly measured using Food Colour Reader. The aqueous extracts showed discolouring and formation of microbial layer even when preserved in refrigerator in sterilized glass bottles, whereas the powdered substances remained the same with no discolouring or microbial activity in it. The toxicity study has practically proved that the powdered substances in various concentrations of 100, 250, 500, 1000 and 1500 µg/ml has the overall lowest mortality rate in consideration to mean and standard deviation (M ± SD) of 11.7 ± 10.7, than to the aqueous extraction samples of 73.7 ± 22.8 respectively. This study is carried out to promote and incorporate bio-colours in foods that can be consumed on daily basis, replacing the commercially available hazardous food colourants.

Radiolytic Inactivation of Ponceau 4R Mutagenicity in Aqueous Solution

The electron-beam treatment of an aqueous solution of the azo dye Ponceau 4R (0.02 g/dm3) at a dose of 1.5 kGy in air led to the complete elimination of color and genotoxicity. The addition of OH radicals to the system of conjugated bonds of the dye (the formation of OH adducts) was a key radiolytic process, which led to the elimination of side groups with lower binding energies

Ultra small carbon dots from Crocus cancellatus as a highly fluorescence probe for synthetic Ponceau 4R dye sensing in food samples

In this work, for the first time, natural Crocus cancellatus was adopted for the green, low-cost, and simple synthesis of highly fluorescent ultra-small carbon dots (CDs) with well-distributed size using a one-pot hydrothermal treatment. As-synthesized CDs are used as fluorescence sensing probe for quantitative analysis of Ponceau 4R (E124) synthetic food dye, which is widely used. However, excessive consumption of Ponceau 4R poses potential health risks. To obtain better-quality performance of as-synthesized CDs, the time and temperature of the hydrothermal carbonization reaction of crocus were optimized simply. The as-prepared carbon dots exhibit exceptional advantages including excellent fluorescence, satisfactory chemical stability, low toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility. It produced a strong blue fluorescence when irradiated with UV light at 365 nm, which was subsequently effectively employed for Ponceau 4R sensing based on the quenching of fluorescence. The as-prepared CDs was characterized by EDX, XRD, FTIR, SEM, HRTEM, UV–Visible absorption spectrophotometry, and fluorescence. The effects of carbon dots fluorescence emission wavelength, CDs quantity, pH value, and reaction time were investigated to detect Ponceau 4R under optimum conditions. The synthesized carbon dot's fluorescence intensity allowed quantitative determination of Ponceau 4R in the linear range of 60–6000 nM with a detection limit of 40 nM that is lower than all previously published methods. Several soft drink samples were used to validate the potential use of this new fluorescent probe for P4R detection in actual samples with good precision and accuracy.

Synthesis and kinetic study of the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi1−xDyxFeO3 nanoparticles in the removal of Ponceau 4R dye

Synthesis and kinetic study of the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi1−xDyxFeO3 nanoparticles in the removal of Ponceau 4R dye

Surfactant-supported organoclay for removal of anionic food dyes in batch and column modes: adsorption characteristics and mechanism study

This study aimed to create CTAB-modified bentonite organoclay (Bt@CTAB) by mixing the naturally occurring mineral bentonite (Bt) with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Elemental analysis, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis have been employed to analyze both the unmodified Bt and the Bt@CTAB organoclay. The dye sorption onto Bt@CTAB organoclay was investigated in the batch and column modes using aqueous solutions of anionic food dyes, viz., Sunset yellow FCF (E110), Azorubine (E122), and Ponceau 4R (E124) (individually or in a mixture). Experimental variables affecting the adsorption process, such as initial dye concentration, contact time, temperature, pH, and adsorbent dose, are evaluated. From the kinetic investigations, the adsorption of E110, E122, and E124 dyes well matched the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. E110 and E122 dyes adsorption onto Bt@CTAB attained equilibrium in 120 min while attained in 240 min for E124. The investigated food dyes were expected to achieve maximum adsorption efficiencies at concentration of 100 ppm of (E110 and E124) and 150 ppm of (E124), an adsorbent dosage of 0.4 gL−1, and an initial pH 5. In addition, Langmuir model best fits the sorption isotherm data, with the maximum adsorption capacity at 303 K being 238 mg/g, 248.75 mg/g, and 358.25 mg/g for E110, E122, and E124, respectively. The Bt@CTAB organoclay can be regenerated up to the 4th cycle successfully. The thermodynamic studies revealed the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adsorption of these anionic dyes onto Bt@CTAB organoclay. The prepared cationic Bt@CTAB organoclay was successfully applied for the removal of E110, E122, and E124 from real water samples, synthetic effluents, and colored soft drinks with a recovery (R%) higher than 95%. The plausible adsorption mechanism of E110, E122, and E124 onto Bt@CTAB organoclay is proposed to be due to electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bond formation. Finally, the present study shows that Bt@CTAB organoclay may be employed efficiently and effectively to remove anionic food dyes from a wide range of real water and colored soft drinks.

Catalytic performance of alkaline earth metals doped-Co3O4 for azo dye degradation by peroxymonosulfate activation

Metal doping is a promising avenue to improve the catalytic property of Co-based catalysts for organic pollutants degradation via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. Herein, alkaline earth metals doped mesoporous cobalt oxide catalysts (M/Co3O4, M= Ca, Mg, Sr and Ba) were fabricated by combination of sol-gel method and cellulose template and employed to activate PMS for Ponceau 2 R (PR) decomposition. The doped alkaline earth metals induced strong promotion effects on the catalytic performance with the order of Ca > Mg > Sr > Ba. Notably, the rate constant of Ca/Co3O4 (0.3048 min−1), which displayed the optimum catalytic performance, was 7.5 times that of pure Co3O4 (0.0406 min−1) for PR degradation. Additionally, the influence of PMS and catalyst concentration, pH, doping amount, inorganic salts, and reaction temperature on PR degradation rate were investigated in detail. Ca/Co3O4 manifested excellent catalytic activity after five successive runs without noticeable structure change. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and radicals scavenging experiments testified that O2∙- rather than •OH and SO4∙- was the dominating species for dye degradation. The reasonable catalytic mechanism was proposed.

MoS2 quantum dots-based optical sensing platform for the analysis of synthetic colorants. Application to quinoline yellow determination

In this work, a novel fluorescence sensor has been designed to solve the actual need of new fast and inexpensive sensing platforms for the analysis of synthetic colorants. It is based on MoS2 quantum dots obtained by a hydrothermal method and incorporated as fluorophore into the matrix of PVC membranes, which are deposited on quartz substrates by spin-coating. It was proven, as in these conditions, MoS2 quantum dots maintain the fluorescent properties that they present in solution. Experiments carried out in solution displayed a maximum emission when they were excited under 310 nm. This initial fluorescence decreases linearly in presence of increasing concentrations of various synthetic colorants namely quinoline yellow, tartrazine, sunset yellow, allura red, ponceau 4R and carmoisine. The two possible mechanisms that can explain this quenching effect, colorants absorbing photons emitted by quantum dots and/or competing with the nanomaterial for photons coming from the excitation source, were evaluated. The most pronounced effect was observed with quinoline yellow, as a result of a mixed mechanism. The optimized methodology developed for the determination of quinoline yellow showed a linear concentration range between 5.4 and 55.0 µg with a limit of detection of 1.6 µg. The sensor was applied to the determination of quinoline yellow in a food colour paste obtaining results in good agreement with those obtained by HPLC-UV–vis measurements.

MORPHOMETRICAL INDICES OF CECUM CRYPTS IN RATS UNDER INFLUENCE OF FOOD ADDITIVE COMPLEX

Due to the widespread use of various food additives, concerns about their potential harm to the human health and their safety of approved daily intake levels in food products are increasing. One area of debate is the impact of food additives on the gastrointestinal mucous membrane. Experimental evidence has shown that the consumption of certain food additives, even within acceptable doses, can exacerbate inflammatory processes and contribute to carcinogenesis in individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases. Evaluating the functions of intestinal digestion and absorption requires considering criteria such as the number of crypts in the intestinal mucosa, their depth, structure, and the degree of cellular infiltration. Previous studies have established that the type of food and the presence of certain substances in the diet can affect the depth of crypts, the proliferative activity of crypt cells, and the number of goblet cells in the large intestine. In this study, the dynamic changes in the cecum crypt metrics of rats were analyzed over a period of 16 weeks under the influence of a complex food additive including monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite, and ponceau 4R.&#x0D; The rats of the experimental group, with access to water ad libitum, were administered with 0,6 mg/kg sodium nitrite, 20 mg/kg monosodium glutamate and 5 mg/kg ponceau 4R in 0.5 ml of distilled water once daily orally. The control group of rats (n=14) had access to drinking water without any additives and received oral saline administration. Collection of samples for histological examination was carried out at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks.&#x0D; The morphometric parameters analyzed included the number of crypts in the field of view, their depth, outer diameter, lumen diameter, and the height of epitheliocytes. The results showed that the morphometric parameters of the cecum crypts in rats changed depending on the duration of exposure to the food additive complex of monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite, and ponceau 4R. The changes observed in the crypt structure and number indicated a significant detrimental effect of the food additive complex on the cecum mucous membrane in rats during the early stages of the experiment.&#x0D; There was an incomplete recovery of the cecum crypts number and structures in the later stages of the experiment; however it occurred in the context of destructive and inflammatory changes in the mucous membrane.