Allura Red (also called FD&C Red 40 and Food Red 17) is a common ingredient in candies, soft drinks, dairy products and some cereals.
Chronic exposure to synthetic food coloring Allura Red AC promotes susceptibility to experimental colitis via intestinal serotonin in mice
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summary
Chemicals in food are widely used and result in significant human exposure. Allura Red AC (AR) is a very common synthetic colorant; however, little is known about its impact on colitis. Here, we show that chronic exposure to AR at a dose found in commonly consumed food products exacerbates experimental models of colitis in mice. Although intermittent exposure is more like typical human exposure, intermittent exposure to RA in mice for 12 weeks does not influence susceptibility to colitis.
However, exposure to RA early in life causes mice to have an increased susceptibility to colitis. Additionally, chronic exposure to RA induces mild colitis, which is associated with elevated levels of colonic serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) and impaired epithelial barrier function via myosin light chain kinase. (MLCK). . Importantly, chronic exposure to RA did not influence susceptibility to colitis in mice lacking tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), the rate-limiting enzyme in 5-HT biosynthesis.
Caecal transfer of gut microbiota disrupted by RA exposure worsens the severity of colitis in recipient germ-free (GF) mice. Moreover, chronic exposure to AR elevates 5-HT levels in the colon in naïve GF mice. Although it is not yet known whether AR has similar effects in humans, our study reveals that chronic long-term exposure to a common synthetic dye promotes experimental colitis via colonic 5-HT in a pathway dependent and independent of gut microbiota in mice.
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Graphical summary showing the effect of RA on the development of colitis. AR disrupts the integrity of the gut epithelial barrier through the MLCK and mucus layer, while AR also stimulates colonic 5-HT secretion, modulates gut microbiota composition, and promotes colitis. Under GF conditions, AR also induces colonic secretion of 5-HT, which triggers inflammatory responses.
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Researchers using experimental animal models of IBD have found that continued exposure to allura red AC impairs gut health and promotes inflammation. The dye directly disrupts gut barrier function and increases the production of serotonin, a hormone/neurotransmitter present in the gut, which subsequently alters the composition of the gut microbiota and increases susceptibility to colitis. The study suggests a link between a commonly used food coloring and IBD and warrants further exploration between food coloring and IBD at experimental, epidemiological, and clinical levels.
Long-term consumption of Allura Red food coloring can be a potential trigger for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, says Waliul Khan of McMaster University. Researchers using experimental animal models of IBD have found that continued exposure to allura red AC impairs gut health and promotes inflammation.
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