Red Dye 40 is one of the main coloring ingredients that you will find on many foods. It is also called Allura food, and it is the most common artificial food coloring. You can find this coloring agent in the candies, cosmetics, and even in the bakery food. There are lots of claims and researches made on the topic that Red 40 is harmful to humans, and it can affect the kids a lot. Too much consumption of Red 40 in the form of various food items damage the liver and impart other harmful consequences. So, before you are using the food color or you are buying some food items having the Red 40 in it, be sure to know about this food color first.

What is Red 40?

Red 40 or the Allure 40 is the red food color that comes from petroleum distillates or the coal tar. The U.S Food and Drug Administration FDA reveals that it is listed on the food items by name and product labels. The food dyes that are made with coal tars are made by mixing various fragrant smelling hydrocarbons like toluene and benzyne. Though in the earlier times, the food colors are made from natural ingredients like flowers, roots, and leaves. But, with the latest scientific inventions, the experts are making these food colors at labs with the help of various chemicals.

red 40 side effects

Potential hazards of using the Red Dye 40

As per the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Red 40 can cause lots of allergies in the body of some people. Even the researches show that the red dye 40 can cause hyperactivity in children and can create immune-system tumors in mice. Red 40 contains p-Cresidine, which is anticipated as a human carcinogen. The rats have lower reproductive success, go through the reduced weight of the parents and their offspring, and also decrease of brain weight. Hence, you are quite aware of the red 40 side effects. So, it is essential to be careful and check the ingredient list of food before you are buying.

How to Spot the Red Dye 40?

FDA regulations declared that Red 40 should be labeled as the FD&C Red no 40 or the Red 40. However, the manufacturers do not have to specify the exact amount of Red 40 present in the food. The foods that are not red or orange can contain the Red 40 dye. You can find this ingredient along with the other AFCs in the cheese, crackers, salad dressings, and marshmallows. The common names of Red 40 that you might find in the food are Red 40, FD & C Red no 40, Allure Red, C.I 16035, Allura Red AC, and so on.

Some of the common foods that contain Red 40 are Berry BerryKix, post shredded wheat, and ocean spray fruit-flavored snacks, grape nuts, special K red Berries cereal, Yoplait yogurts and so on. Hence, it is clear that Red 40 is quite dangerous, and you should avoid it.