What is Red Dye 40, Know its Dangers to a Persons Health

In most of the countries, red food color is used a lot to give fruitful aroma and look to the dish. Red Dye 40 is a certified color that is derived from coal tars also known as petroleum distillates. Red dye 40 is listed on almost every packaging of food which contains it. Red Dye 40 is also known as FD&C Red 40 or Allura red. Since a long time, concerns about red dye 40 have alarmed the regulatory authorities and several studies have been carried out to find out the authenticity of these concerns.

This question has become a cause of concern and this guide talks about most popular food color of recent times and its concerns. Red Dye 40 comes as a red powder and is soluble in water and is derived from coal tar.

There are many potential health hazards of Red Dye 40. Major cause of concern is unlike other dyes, red dye 40 is not excreted from your body. This leads to accumulation of red dye 40 and leads to many ailments in the body that are harmful in the long run. Red dye 40 food color is used in the following products:

• Gelatin powder
• Drugs
• Cosmetics
• Cereal
• Candy
• Baked goods

Red Dye 40 is derived from petroleum and there are many side effects of red dye 40 if taken for a prolonged period of time. Red dye 40 is prepared from coal tars by mixing hydrocarbons together.

Here are some of the Dangers of Red Dye 40 to a Person’s Health

Red dye 40 is the root of many problems, which includes swelling around the mouth. Besides that, Red dye 40 also leads to hives which contains some contaminants that in turn leads to cancer and also causes hyperactivity in kids. All these findings are substantiated by large number of medical studies and tests have been conducted in the labs to verify claims of numerous children who consume high quantities of food which consists of red dye 40 food color.

One of the surprising findings has been red dye 40 causing damaged DNA in the mice by altering the genes.

Talking about the dangers of red dye 40 to a person’s health, you may notice your skin becoming red and itchy after consuming food that contains Red Dye 40. The rashes can also take the form of hives which are raised bumps and itch a lot. These hives are more visible on the face and tongue and can even affect the eyelids.

The skin allergies caused by Red dye 40 can also take form of lesions which are filled with fluid. There can also be swelling of the body in the deep layers in the skin and this can be tough to treat. If the skin has raised welts then treatment becomes difficult. This condition is known as Angioedema which is more severe than other forms of skin troubles.

If a person is allergic to red dye 40, then he/she can also experience food intolerances, which is also evident as an allergic reaction. Gastrointestinal tract becomes very sensitive when you are continuously partaking food containing red dye 40. Some of the symptoms consist of feeling bloated, severe stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Gastrointestinal tract symptoms are more evident than the skin symptoms from consumption of red dye food.

Amongst all the other problems or dangers of red dye 40 to a person’s health, inflammation of respiratory tract is one of them. Symptoms of Respiratory Tract Problems caused by Red Dye 40 include wheezing or whistling sound in the chest and nasal congestion.

While you are suffering from red 40 and its troublesome problems, get ready for that ugly dizzy feeling that makes you feel lightheaded as well. Fainting can also be a cause of concern if you have been heavily consuming food that contains red dye 40 in it.

Anaphylactic shock is a severe and fatal allergic reaction which can occur from red dye 40. People suffering from Anaphylactic shock will experience swelling all over the body and it gets difficult for them to swallow food. This type of allergic requires immediate emergency care which has to be treated with epinephrine. Anaphylactic shock If not treated immediately can result in loss of consciousness and even death.

Your kid may grow up to be mentally fragile if they are consuming excessive food items which contain red dye 40 food coloring. Other than this, red 40 in sweeteners, makes affects the brain less active and hinders with the flow of blood towards the brain.

Both men and women can get affected by ADHD in case of red dye 40 allergies. This due is also known as red dye #2 or carmine or cochineal extract. Kids who love to have this fancy eating get affected by red dye 40 intolerance. A problem with red dye 40 allergies is that it is tough to diagnose it; however, it can be treated effectively after locating the root cause.

Natural dye will always be safe and preferable to use when compared to artificial dyes or colors as natural dye will not have such type of severe side effects which can be seen with Red 40. Red dye 40 food coloring can be dangerous because of its allergic properties and severe side effects on people. As most of the studies on adverse side effects of red 40 have been conducted on mice in labs, it is the decrease in life span that was observed. Also, weight of the brain got reduced and parents and off springs who were into heavy intake of this Red Dye 40 also experienced weight loss.

In the recent times, most of the dyes have been removed from FDA’s approved list owing to their side effects and there is more prominence placed on picking up natural supplements in place of dyes such as Red dye 40.