Nat Commun: Common food dyes may induce the development of inflammatory bowel disease in humans

Chemicals in food are widely used, resulting in a large number of human exposures, and Allura Red AC (AR) is a very common synthetic colorant, however, researchers do not know its effect
on colitis 。 Recently, a study entitled "Chronic exposure to synthetic food colorant Allura Red AC promotes susceptibility to experimental colitis via intestinal serotonin in mice" published in the international journal Nature Communications.
Scientists from McMaster University and other institutions have found that long-term intake of temptation red food dye may potentially induce the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease, and in the article, researchers used experimental animal models of inflammatory bowel disease to study and found that continuous exposure to temptation red may damage the body's intestinal health and promote inflammation
.

According to the researchers, this dye directly interferes with the body's intestinal barrier function and increases the secretion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter/hormone found in the body's intestine, which changes the composition of gut microbes, leading to increased susceptibility to colitis
.
Temptation red, a common ingredient found in things like candy, soft drinks, dairy products and certain grains, can be used to add color and texture to videos, often to appeal to children
.
The use of synthetic food dyes such as temptation red has increased dramatically over the past few decades, but there have been few reports of these dyes affecting gut health, as in this study, as noted by researcher Khan et al
.

Researcher Dr.
Khan said that this study clarifies the significant harmful effects of temptation red on the body's intestinal health, and identifies that serotonin in the intestine may be a key factor in mediating this effect, and the relevant research results are of great significance
for the prevention and control of intestinal inflammation in the body.
The researchers' findings are significant because this common synthetic food dye may act as a possible dietary trigger for inflammatory bowel disease, and this study is also a major advance that serves as a reminder of the potential harm
caused by daily intake of food dyes.
Studies have reported that the intake of temptation red may affect certain allergies, immune disorders, and behavioral problems in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
.

Common food dyes may induce the occurrence
of inflammatory bowel disease in humans.

Image source: Nature Communications (2022).
DOI:10.
1038/s41467-022-35309-y

Researchers point out that inflammatory bowel disease is a serious chronic inflammatory disease of the human intestine that affects the health of millions of people around the world, because researchers have not yet elucidated its specific pathogenesis and mechanism, but studies have shown that abnormally regulated immune responses, genetic factors, gut microbial imbalances, and environmental factors may induce these diseases
.
In recent years, researchers have made significant progress in identifying susceptibility genes and understanding the critical role played by the immune system and host microbial communities in the pathological manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease, but similar progress in identifying environmental risk factors has lagged severely
.
According to researcher Khan, the environmental triggers of inflammatory bowel disease include a typical Western diet, which includes processed fats, red and processed meats, sugars and a lack of fiber, he added, adding that the Western diet and processed foods also include a large number of additives and dyes
.

In addition, the study also revealed an association between a frequently used food dye and inflammatory bowel disease, and further research is needed to elucidate the association
between food dyes and the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease at the experimental, epidemiological and clinical levels.
Although it is not clear whether seduction red has a similar effect in humans, the results suggest that long-term chronic exposure to a common synthetic colorant may promote the development
of experimental colitis in mice's gut microbiome-dependent and non-dependent pathways through colonic serotonin.
(Biovalley Bioon.
com)

Original source:

Kwon, Y.
H.
, Banskota, S.
, Wang, H.
 et al.
 Chronic exposure to synthetic food colorant Allura Red AC promotes susceptibility to experimental colitis via intestinal serotonin in mice.
 Nat Commun 13, 7617 (2022).
doi：10.
1038/s41467-022-35309-y