Tartrazine
Producer
Product
Tartrazine (otherwise known as E102 or FD&C Yellow 5) is a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye used as a food colouring. It is derived from coal-tar.
It is found in certain brands of fruit squash, fruit cordial, coloured soft drinks, instant puddings, cake mixes, custard powder, soups, sauces, kool-aid(medicinal), ice cream, ice lollies, sweets, chewing gum, marzipan, jam, jelly, marmalade, mustard, yogurt and many convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products.
It may be found in the shells of medicinal capsules. It can also be used with E133 Brilliant Blue FCF or E142 Green S to produce various green shades (e.g. for tinned processed peas).[citation needed]
It appears to cause the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly amongst those with an aspirin intolerance and asthmatics. Reactions can include migraine, blurred vision, itching, rhinitis, urticaria and purple skin patches (because of this more use is now being made of E160b Annatto).
There is an urban legend that the tartrazine in Mountain Dew causes shrinkage of testicles. [1] This legend is false; tartrazine has been deemed safe and used since 1917. Another variant of this urban legend is that tartrazine decreases male sperm count, which is also false.[2]
Tartrazine is a very commonly used colour in the United Kingdom and the United States. Use of tartrazine is banned in Norway and was banned in Austria and Germany, before EU regulations lifted the ban again.[citation needed] Its consumption, however, is still not recommended for children. [citation needed]
According to the UK Food Guide, "Tartrazine appears to cause the most allergic and/or intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly amongst those with an aspirin intolerance and asthmatics. Other reactions can include migraine, blurred vision, itching, rhinitis and purple skin patches, (because of this more use is now being made of Annatto (E160b). In conjunction with Benzoic acid (E210) tartrazine appears to create an over-activity in children."[3]