Decoding Food Additives: All About Yellow 5

Food additives are ingredients (often chemicals) in foods that enhance a product's color, flavor, or texture. Yellow 5 is a food dye additive that improves the yellow coloring of certain products to enhance aesthetic appeal. However, there are discussions about potential health concerns linked to Yellow 5 and similar additives.

This article explores Yellow 5, its uses, potential health considerations, and factors to consider when deciding whether to consume foods and beverages containing this common FDA-approved food dye.

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What is Yellow 5?

Yellow 5, also called tartrazine, FD&C Yellow No. 5, and E102, is a synthetic food dye characterized by its bright yellow color. Its chemical composition is:

• Trisodium;5-oxo-1-(4-sulfonatophenyl)-4-[(4-sulfonatophenyl)diazenyl]-4H-pyrazole-3-carboxylate

Yellow 5, along with Yellow 6 and Red 40, make up 90% of the dyes used in foods. Yellow 5 is commonly used to color yellow sodas, colored candies, pastries, and even some medications and vitamins.

Is Yellow 5 Safe?

Several agencies regulate the use of Yellow 5 in foods and other products. Examples include the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), and The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

These organizations have developed accepted daily intakes (ADIs) for food dyes, which are as follows:

• FDA: 0-5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight daily
• JECFA: 0-7.5 mg/kg of body weight daily
• EFSA: 0-7.5 mg/kg of body weight daily

These values are similar to recommendations for other commonly consumed food dyes, including Yellow 6, Red 40, Blue 1, and Blue 2.

What is Yellow 5 Made Of?

Factors determining if Yellow 5 is safe include the chemical synthesis process and ingredients used in its production. 

Yellow 5 is manufactured by diazotizing (chemical reaction) hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite. This compound is coupled with a methyl ester, ethyl ester, salt carboxylic acid, or 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid. Chemists purify and isolate the resulting dye as a sodium salt.

Researchers found that artificial food dyes often contain petroleum and are made using chemical processes that sometimes include aniline, sulfuric acids, formaldehyde, hydroxides, arsenic, mercury, or lead. The FDA confirms that certifiable color additives are often created from materials obtained from petroleum.

Yellow 5's uses as a dye include:

• Silks and wools
• Foods and beverages
• Medications and dietary supplements
• Pesticides
• Hair dyes, fragrances, and cosmetics

Yellow 5 is also used in sanitizing solutions for utensils, food-processing equipment, and other items that come in contact with food. 

In comparison, colorants sourced from natural sources are often considered a safer option, though they are often more expensive. 

Examples of natural yellow colorants sometimes used in foods and other consumer products include:

• Pumpkin extract
• Carrot extract
• Yeast-derived natural pigments
• Turmeric
• Saffron
• Annatto

While the United Kingdom colors orange soda with pumpkin and carrot extracts, the United States uses Red 40 and Yellow 6. In addition, Britain colors red sundaes at McDonald's using natural sources (strawberries), while the United States colors strawberry shakes with Red 40. 

Health Considerations and Side Effects of Yellow 5

There are discussions about potential health considerations associated with Yellow 5, particularly when consuming this food dye in large amounts. 

Hyperactivity in Children

Several studies suggest a potential link between Yellow 5 and hyperactivity in children. One study found that Yellow 5 and other food dyes may be associated with behavioral changes in children, including hyperactivity, that are potentially also linked to autism. 

Several studies indicate increased hyperactivity among kids after consuming artificial food dyes, and children tend to consume more artificial food dyes than adults. 

Potential mechanisms for food dye's effects on hyperactivity and behavior include the impact on nutrient levels, electroencephalographic beta-band power (visual attention), and genetic vulnerability. Studies suggest artificial colorants can affect the brain without crossing the blood-brain barrier. 

That's why regulatory agencies have established food dye restrictions as ADIs. Manufacturers continue to add food dyes to foods legally. 

Cancer Concerns

There are discussions about food dyes, including Yellow 5, and their potential to increase the risk of cancer due to carcinogenic activity.

Studies report that Yellow 5 contains benzidene, a carcinogen in animals and humans permitted in low, assumed safe levels. The researchers suggest that ingesting benzidene may increase the risk of cancer to 1 in 1 million, which is just under a concerning threshold. 

Yellow 5 has been shown to induce breast cancer in rats. The FDA's ADIs for artificial food dyes are based on the results of animal studies. 

Some researchers suggest that food dyes, which have been associated with cancer, should be reconsidered in the food supply and replaced with safer colorings.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest also suggests that because Yellow 5 contains chemicals associated with cancer and may trigger hyperactivity in children, this food dye should be carefully evaluated in foods. 

Other Health Effects

Other potential health effects of Yellow 5 include allergic reactions, immunological responses, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, and potentially negative impacts on hormones and reproductive health. Individual sensitivities to Yellow 5 and other food dyes vary from person to person. 

Foods and Products Containing Yellow 5

Foods and other consumer products containing Yellow 5 include:

Food Products:

• Cereals
• Confectionaries, cotton candy, chewing gum and other candies
• Snacks, flavored chips, and convenience foods
• Soft drinks, Kool-aid, Mountain Dew, Gatorade
• Pastries, biscuits, marzipan, baked goods, dessert powders, instant puddings, gelatin desserts, cake mixes, and custard powder 
• Soups
• Sauces
• Ice cream and ice pops
• Some kinds of rice and noodles
• Pickles and pickled products
• Some yogurts
• Jams, jellies, and marmalade
• Mustard and horseradish
• Fruit squash and fruit cordial
• Some lemon, glycerine, and honey products

Non-Food Products:

• Pet foods
• Cosmetics and fragrances
• Shampoos, hair dyes, and other hair care products
• Soaps and body washes
• Moisturizers, creams, lotions, and shaving products
• Vitamins
• Prescription drugs and other medications like antacids
• Crayons
• Stamp dyes
• Oral care

Identifying Yellow 5 on ingredient labels involves browsing the ingredient list for the presence of this food dye. Other names for Yellow 5 include Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 5, E102, and tartrazine.

Decreasing Your Intake of Yellow 5

Reading food labels and limiting or avoiding foods, drinks, and supplements containing Yellow 5 as an ingredient are ways to reduce one's intake of Yellow 5. 

Additional ways to avoid food dyes include choosing organic, whole, fresh foods instead of highly processed options. Consider products containing natural colorant alternatives instead, such as pumpkin extract, carrot extract, saffron, turmeric, annatto, and yeast-derived natural pigments. 

Research and Future Directions

It's helpful to stay up-to-date with ongoing studies and emerging research regarding Yellow 5 and its effects on health and potential future regulation changes. Areas requiring further investigation of Yellow 5 include human studies examining its health effects and which specific amounts, if any, are safe for human consumption — particularly among children. 

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Key Takeaways

• Yellow 5 is a food dye commonly added to foods, beverages, cosmetic products, dietary supplements, and medications. 
• Regulatory agencies, including the FDA, ECFA, and EFSA, have approved the limited consumption of Yellow 5. 
• Large amounts of Yellow 5 may be associated with an increased risk of allergic reactions, neurotoxicity, hyperactivity in children, cancer, and hormonal or reproductive issues. 
• Consider limiting or avoiding Yellow 5 in consumer products, particularly for individuals sensitive to this or other food dyes. 
• Monitor current and potential new regulations regarding Yellow 5 and other artificial food colorants.