Food coloring may affect bowel function, study finds

Paint is a widely used product in the food industry, but it can adversely affect the functionality of the human intestine. According to research by scientists at Cornell and Binghamton Universities in the United States, nanoparticles of food dyes and anti-caking agents have a negative effect on the main digestive and absorption proteins in the human body.

As described in the research, published in the scientific journal antioxidantsMany dyestuffs used in the food industry Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide in its composition, which can interfere with intestinal health.

“We consume these nanoparticles on a daily basis. We don’t really know how much we’re consuming; we don’t really know the long-term effects of that consumption. We were able to demonstrate some of these effects here that are key to understanding gastrointestinal health and development,” said Elad Tako, one of the study’s authors and associate professor of food science at Cornell. .

food coloring nanoparticles

To conduct the research, the scientists used doses of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide in an in vivo method, a living tissue system that offers data similar to the human body’s responses. In tests on chicken eggs, after hatching, the researchers found changes in the duodenum and cecum (intestinal regions) – they also recorded changes in functional, morphological and microbial biomarkers in the animals’ blood.

In any case, the researchers say, since some of the world’s population eats foods containing dyes every day, it is still necessary to know more about the effect of these nanoparticles on the human body. They still don’t suggest the end of these nanoparticles, but point out that more scientific research is needed on the subject to understand the implications of their use.