INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME FOOD COLOURS, ENZYMES, FLAVOUR ENHANCERS, THICKENING AGENTS, AND CERTAIN FOOD ADDITIVES WHO FOOD ADDITIVES SERIES 6 The evaluations contained in this publication were prepared by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met in Rome, 4-13 June 19741 World Health Organization Geneva 1975 1 Eighteenth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 1974, No. 557. FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1974, No. 54. AZORUBINE BIOLOGICAL DATA BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS Rats were injected intravenously with approximately 1 mg of the dye. The bile was collected for six hours and analysed. The recovery of the dye was an average of 38% (30-40%) of the administered quantity (Ryan & Wright, 1961). This like any other azo dye is probably reduced in the gut by bacterial azo reductases (Walker, 1970). TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES Special studies on Heinz bodies Cat Four cats were given 5% aqueous solution in doses of 1g on the first day and 0.1 g on the ninth and eighteenth day. A negative test for Heinz bodies was obtained (Deutsche Forsch., 1957). Special studies on mutagenicity The colour was tested for mutagenic action in a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml in cultures of Escherichia coli. No mutagenic effect was found (Lück & Rickerl, 1960). Special studies on reproduction Rat Twenty-five male and 25 female rats received 1% azorubine in their drinking water for 180 days, giving approximately 55 g dye per animal. A similar group of 50 rats acted as controls. Weight gain, mortality and general condition were similar in both groups. After seven months animals were mated and an F1 generation produced. After weaning the pups were put again on 1% azorubine and after four months mated to produce an F2 generation. No abnormalities regarding litter number or fertility were noted. After 200 days on 1% azorubine the F2 generation was kept on normal diet and water for two years. No adverse effects were seen on mortality or tumour incidence (Hecht, 1966). Special studies on sensitizing effects Guinea-pig In experiments on guinea-pigs, it was found that this colour had no sensitizing activity (Bär & Griepentrog, 1960). Acute toxicity LD50 Animal Route (mg/kg bw) Reference Mouse oral 1 000 Deutsche Forsch., 1957 oral 8 000 Gaunt et al., 1967 i.p. 900 Gaunt et al., 1967 i.v. 800 Deutsche Forsch., 1957 Rat oral 10 000 Gaunt et al., 1967 oral 1 000 Deutsche Forsch., 1957 i.p. 1 000 Deutsche Forsch., 1957 i.p. 900-1 100 Gaunt et al., 1967 i.v. 800 Deutsche Forsch., 1957 Short-term studies Rat Three weanling rats were given a 0.1% solution of carmoisine to drink for 28 days (daily consumption approximately 15 mg). No toxic effects were noted (Goldblatt & Frodsham, 1952). Five groups of 16 male and 16 female rats were fed diets containing 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0% carmoisine for three months. There were no adverse effects on general health, growth or food consumption and no departure from normality was seen in the haematological studies and in the liver and kidney function tests. The principal organ weight finding was an elevated relative kidney weight at 1% in females. The types and incidence of histological changes were comparable in control and test groups (Gaunt et al., 1967). Pig Four groups of three male and three female pigs received carmoisine at dose levels of 0, 250, 500 or 1000 mg/kg/day for three months. There were no adverse effects on growth and no differences between treated and control groups were evident in the haematological examination, serum chemistry, urine analyses, organ weights or histological examination (Gaunt et al., 1969). Long-term studies Mouse Five groups of 30 male and 30 female mice were fed diets containing 0, 300, 900, 2700 or 8100 ppm of the colour for 80 weeks. A high death rate was noted in all test groups and in the controls. A further test was therefore undertaken with the same number of mice but using dosage levels of 0, 100, 500, 2500 and 12 500 ppm. There were no adverse effects on mortality, weight gain, organ weights or incidence of histopathological findings including tumours. There was a mild anaemia in mice given the highest level (BIBRA, 1973). A group of 30 mice, comprising equal numbers of both sexes were given 0.1 ml of a 3% suspension of the colour in arachis oil; after six months the strength of the suspension was increased to 6%. The colour was given subcutaneously for 360 days. After this period the animals were kept for 630 days. The weekly dose was respectively 6 and 12 mg and the total dose was 468 mg/mouse. Seven lymphomas and one intestinal tumour were observed. In 60 control animals four lymphomas and an intestinal tumour were present (Bonser et al., 1956). Rat Ten rats were given the colour in the drinking water in a concentration of 1% for 209 days. The daily intake was 1.2 g/kg bw and the total amount administered was 51 g per animal. The observation period was 919 days. No tumours were found (Deutsche Forsch., 1957). Ten rats were given 1% of the colour in the drinking water for 250 days. The daily intake was 7.94 g/kg bw and the total intake 52 g/animal. The observation period was 545 days. No tumours were found (Deutsche Forsch., 1947). Ten rats were given a diet containing 0.2% of the colour for 417 days. The daily intake was approximately 0.1 g/kg bw and the total intake was 11 g per animal. The observation period was 838 days. No tumours were found (Deutsche Forsch., 1957). A group of 10 rats was given twice weekly subcutaneous injections of 0.5 ml of a 1% solution (= 5 mg) of the colour for one year. The animals were kept under observation for over 938 days. One axillary tumour was observed in one animal (Deutsche Forsch., 1957). In a repeat experiment another group of 10 rats was given twice weekly subcutaneously 0.5 ml of a 1% solution (= 5 mg) of the colour for one year. No tumours were formed after 521 days each animal having received 0.5 g (Deutsche Forsch., 1957). Comments: Little information is available on the metabolism of this colour. It has been studied adequately long-term only in the mouse. The long- term studies in the rat recorded only tumour incidence and survival while many other essential observations have not been reported. The reproduction study did not reveal any compound-related adverse effects. There are no studies available on embryotoxicity including teratology. EVALUATION Level causing no toxicological effect Rat: 0.2% (= 2000 ppm) in the diet equivalent to 100 mg/kg bw. Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man 0-0.5 mg/kg bw* FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION Required by June 1978 (a) adequate long-term studies in another species; (b) investigation of embryotoxicity including teratogenicity; (c) adequate metabolic studies in several species preferably including man. REFERENCES Bär, F. & Griepentrog, F. (1960) Med. u. Ernährung, 1, 99 BIBRA (1973) Research Report No. 8/1973 Bonser, G. M., Clayson, D. B. & Jull, J. W. (1956) Brit. J. Cancer, 10, 653 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany, Farbstoff Kommission (1957) Mitteilung 6 Gaunt, I. F. et al. (1967) Fd. Cosmet Toxicol., 5, 179 Gaunt, I. F. et al. (1969) Fd. Cosmet Toxicol., 7, 1 * Temporary. Lück, H. & Rickerl, E. (1960) Z. Lebensmitt.-Untersuch., 112, 157 Ryan, A. J. & Wright, S. E. (1961) J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 13, 493 Walker, R. (1970) Fd. Cosmet Toxicol., 8, 659 Goldblatt & Frodsham (1952) Unpublished information from ICI Hecht, G. (1966) Report to WHO
See Also: Toxicological Abbreviations Azorubine (WHO Food Additives Series 13) Azorubine (WHO Food Additives Series 18) AZORUBINE (JECFA Evaluation)