Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes?
Food colourants are widely used additives classified as either synthetic or natural. In recent years, consumers have increasingly favoured natural options, considering them safer and potentially beneficial due to their nutritional properties. This study examined the effects of a natural food coloura...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/447 |
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| author | Chiara Fogliano Alessandra La Pietra Chiara Maria Motta Teresa Mobilio Teresa Capriello Margherita Sasso Bice Avallone Ida Ferrandino |
| author_facet | Chiara Fogliano Alessandra La Pietra Chiara Maria Motta Teresa Mobilio Teresa Capriello Margherita Sasso Bice Avallone Ida Ferrandino |
| author_sort | Chiara Fogliano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Food colourants are widely used additives classified as either synthetic or natural. In recent years, consumers have increasingly favoured natural options, considering them safer and potentially beneficial due to their nutritional properties. This study examined the effects of a natural food colourant, commercially known as Vegan Red (RVEG), on zebrafish embryonic development. Its impact was compared with cochineal red E120, of animal origin, and the synthetic dye E124, which are associated with hyperactivity in children and allergies. Shield stage embryos were exposed for 72 h and then examined using a multidisciplinary approach to assess the effects on conventional toxicity endpoints, such as survival, hatching rate, heart rate, genotoxicity, and behavioural interferences, including the impact on muscle ultrastructure. The results demonstrated that RVEG, as well as E120, do not affect hatching, heart rate, and motility parameters. However, RVEG moderately alters skeletal muscle organisation and, more relevant, the expression of the <i>gfap</i>, <i>chchd2,</i> and <i>notch1a</i> genes. Based on standard toxicity parameters, the findings indicated that RVEG is less toxic than E124 and E120, but that the alterations induced in gene expression and muscle anatomy raise safety concerns. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c3633ec3a8a54bcab68f47d27b7a9a1a |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj-art-c3633ec3a8a54bcab68f47d27b7a9a1a2025-06-25T14:28:54ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-05-0113644710.3390/toxics13060447Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes?Chiara Fogliano0Alessandra La Pietra1Chiara Maria Motta2Teresa Mobilio3Teresa Capriello4Margherita Sasso5Bice Avallone6Ida Ferrandino7Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, ItalyFood colourants are widely used additives classified as either synthetic or natural. In recent years, consumers have increasingly favoured natural options, considering them safer and potentially beneficial due to their nutritional properties. This study examined the effects of a natural food colourant, commercially known as Vegan Red (RVEG), on zebrafish embryonic development. Its impact was compared with cochineal red E120, of animal origin, and the synthetic dye E124, which are associated with hyperactivity in children and allergies. Shield stage embryos were exposed for 72 h and then examined using a multidisciplinary approach to assess the effects on conventional toxicity endpoints, such as survival, hatching rate, heart rate, genotoxicity, and behavioural interferences, including the impact on muscle ultrastructure. The results demonstrated that RVEG, as well as E120, do not affect hatching, heart rate, and motility parameters. However, RVEG moderately alters skeletal muscle organisation and, more relevant, the expression of the <i>gfap</i>, <i>chchd2,</i> and <i>notch1a</i> genes. Based on standard toxicity parameters, the findings indicated that RVEG is less toxic than E124 and E120, but that the alterations induced in gene expression and muscle anatomy raise safety concerns.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/447zebrafish embryostoxicityvegan redE120E124gene expression |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Fogliano Alessandra La Pietra Chiara Maria Motta Teresa Mobilio Teresa Capriello Margherita Sasso Bice Avallone Ida Ferrandino Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes? Toxics zebrafish embryos toxicity vegan red E120 E124 gene expression |
| title | Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes? |
| title_full | Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes? |
| title_fullStr | Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes? |
| title_short | Vegan Red: A Safer Alternative to Synthetic Food Dyes? |
| title_sort | vegan red a safer alternative to synthetic food dyes |
| topic | zebrafish embryos toxicity vegan red E120 E124 gene expression |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/447 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chiarafogliano veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT alessandralapietra veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT chiaramariamotta veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT teresamobilio veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT teresacapriello veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT margheritasasso veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT biceavallone veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes AT idaferrandino veganredasaferalternativetosyntheticfooddyes |