Existence of Synthetic Dyes in Foodstuffs: A Retrospective Study of Food Safety Concerns

Background: The use of additives, especially food colors, has attracted the attention of food industries. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively investigate the use of food colors in food products offered in Urmia, Iran. Methods: In this study, ۴۵۱ samples of different types of food were collected from Urmia (April ۲۰۱۹-February ۲۰۲۲). To identify the color type, the Thin Layer Chromatography method was used. The samples included a confections (dry sweets), saffron noghl, saffron halva (a type of confectionery originating from Persia and widely spread throughout the Middle East), saffron-flavored rice and chicken, fruit ice cream, traditional saffron-flavored ice cream, fruit drinks, and saffron solutions. These products were produced from establishments engaged in the production and distribution of food and confections, restaurants, halva manufacturing workshops, traditional ice cream production workshops, and coffeehouses. Statistical analysis of data was done using SPSS software (IBM SPSS statistic ۱۶, USA). Results: Within the group of synthetic dyes analyzed, quinoline yellow, sunset yellow, carmoisine, and tartarazine were identified as the most commonly used synthetic colorants in the examined food products. Findings also showed that rice and saffron chicken samples had the highest average frequency of tartarazine used among the studied food groups (۴۱.۶۶±۱.۸۸%). The highest mean frequency of yellow quinoline consumption was also observed in samples of saffron halva (۵۷.۲۷±۳.۸۶%), various types of dry sweets (۵۵.۵۰±۰.۷%), and saffron noghl (۵۲.۵۰±۳.۵۳%). Sunset yellow had a low frequency in all groups except saffron ice cream and fruit drinks (p=۰.۰۸۶). The findings showed that the highest average frequency of carmoisine synthetic color consumption was related to saffron ice cream (۲۵±۱.۴۱%) and fruit drinks (۲۳.۸۰±۲.۵۴%) among the studied food groups. Conclusion: The findings indicated that approximately ۳۰% of the tested samples, except fruit drinks, contained synthetic colorants. DOI: ۱۰.۱۸۵۰۲/jfqhc.۱۱.۳.۱۶۵۹۲

کلیدواژه ها:

Food additives ، Food coloring agents ، Food ingredients ، Chromatography ، Thin Layer ، Iran