Alert: Red dye E129 in gummies may cause inflammatory bowel disease

The continued consumption of a coloring additive, E129, common in many ultra-processed products, could favor the development of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, according to a study by researchers at McMaster University in Canada. The work was carried out with laboratory animals, but authors warn of the possible effect on people.

E129 is a red pigment that is also called “allura red AC”, “alura red AC”, FD&C Red 40 and “food red 17”. It is a common ingredient in candies, soft drinks, dairy products, some cereals, meat preparations, and other products designed especially to appeal to children, such as jelly beans and candies. The additive is authorized in the European Union and is prohibited in Norway.

What damage does E129 cause?

The continued consumption of this additive could promote inflammation and damage to the intestine. According to the researchers, this synthetic pigment directly disrupts intestinal barrier function and increases the production of serotonin, a hormone/neurotransmitter found in the gut, which subsequently alters the composition of the gut microbiota and increases susceptibility to colitis. This finding has important implications for the prevention and management of intestinal inflammation, explains Waliul Khan, co-senior author of the study and a professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster University.

The study warns in the study published by Nature Communications that the use of synthetic food colors such as E129 has increased significantly in recent decades. “What we have found is startling and alarming, as this common synthetic food coloring is a possible dietary trigger for inflammatory bowel diseases. This research is a significant advance in alerting the public to the potential harms of the food colors we consume every day,” Khan said.

Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic and severe and affect millions of people around the world. Among the reasons for the increased incidence, imbalances in the intestinal microbiota and environmental factors have been cited, such as the typical Western diet, rich in processed fats, red and processed meats, and sugar, but deficient in fiber. Now, additives such as E129 become part of the possible causative factors.

The additive is also related to allergies and hyperactivity

Previous scientific studies have linked E129 to certain allergies, immune disorders and behavioral problems in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

It is one of the additives associated with childhood hyperactivity by the “Southampton 6” study, along with tartrazine (E102), Ponceau 4R (E124), quinoline yellow (E104), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122) and sodium benzoate (E211, a preservative). In 2007, the European Food Safety Authority required a warning to be placed on the label and temporarily reduced the acceptable daily intake of these additives. However, in 2009, EFSA reassessed the available data and withdrew the warning requirement.

E129 is widely used by industry

in the world every year 2.3 million kilograms of allura red AC are produced. In addition to food, it is used in medicines, cosmetics, and dog and cat feed. Everything to make the products more attractive to the eye. It is also used in tattoo inks. Its use has increased because it has replaced other additives with proven harmful effects such as E127 (erythrosine) and E128 (red 2).

Legal status of E129

The E129 it is authorized as a food additive by the European Union, but it is prohibited in some of the member countries and other countries in the European space: Norway, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Austria and Belgium.

In 2013, EFSA re-evaluated the scientific literature and found no evidence to change the legal situation, but recommended further testing to address uncertainties related to the possible genotoxicity of Allura Red AC (inflammatory effects discovered now not mentioned). Genotoxicity is the ability of a substance to damage DNA, the genetic material of cells.

In 2015, EFSA concluded that Allura Red AC is not genotoxic for cats and dogs. New test data demonstrates that Allura Red AC does not damage the DNA of individual cells or show other evidence of genotoxicity.

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