- E154 food coloring helps give brown color but poses a risk to human health
- E154 is banned in the European Union, the USA, Canada and elsewhere
- E154 can cause serious allergic reactions, and hyperactivity and even affect genetic mutations
E154 food coloring helps give brown color but poses a risk to human health
E154, also known as brown FK, is a food coloring whose use and effects have become a controversial topic in the food industry. Although this food additive used to be boldly used in the food industry, several countries have now banned E154 because of its potential health risks.
E154 was introduced in the mid-20th century when the food industry was looking for efficient and cost-effective ways to improve the appearance of products. Brown FK was developed to give certain foods a brown or dark brown color[1].
The manufacturing process is quite complex as brown FK is produced from synthetic compounds using petroleum products. These compounds create an azo dye, a chemical that gives an intense color. The stability, light, and temperature resistance of the coloring agents produced in this way have made E154 a food additive that can be easily applied to a wide range of foods. Brown FK was mostly sold in powder form, which dissolves easily in liquids or mixes evenly with other ingredients.
The fish products industry particularly loved brown FK because it helped to give the fish an impression of "freshness", even if the product had been stored for a long time and was nowhere near as fresh. The main purpose of this additive is to improve the visual appeal of smoked fish, as the brown colour is associated with the smoking process and the supposedly natural processing of the fish.
The largest market for E154 was the United Kingdom, where the coloring agent was used to color the famous black herring (kipper) to make it look more appealing to consumers[2].
In addition to the fish industry, brown FK has been used in other food production areas. For example, it was sometimes added to certain meat and canned vegetables. However, compared to other colors, the use of E154 has always been limited, as brown or black is not often the preferred color in producing various foods.
However, despite the enthusiasm for this food coloring, it eventually became apparent that it could be harmful to human health. For this reason, it has already been banned in a number of countries.
E154 is banned in the European Union, the USA, Canada and elsewhere
The first signals of concern about E154 appeared in the 1980s when questions were raised about its effects on human health. In 1997, studies by the UK Food Standards Agency revealed that E154 may adversely affect human health[3].
As a result, the European Union banned using E154 in food products. Following this decision, similar bans were gradually introduced elsewhere. Currently, E154 is banned throughout the European Union, Australia, Austria, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Russia and many other countries worldwide.
Its use is only allowed in a few countries with less stringent food safety requirements.
Of course, the total ban on food coloring has been met with anger and resentment by the food industry. After all, such a ban has forced manufacturers traditionally using brown FK to change their product formulations or look for alternative, more natural colors.
E154 can cause serious allergic reactions, and hyperactivity and even affect genetic mutations
E154, like other azo dyes, has been shown to cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, itching and sometimes even anaphylactic shock. It has also been observed that this dye can aggravate asthma attacks in people with this health problem.
Another concern is the possible link between azo dyes and hyperactivity in children. Although E154 has not been extensively studied in this field, studies with other azo dyes have shown that their use may contribute to behavioral disorders in children, such as hyperactivity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is even known that E154 can cause genetic mutations[4].
It has also been hypothesized that some azo dyes may have carcinogenic properties. Although no direct link between E154 and the development of cancer has been established, some studies have shown that prolonged use of chemical dyes may increase the risk of liver and kidney damage.
The last time the European Food Safety Authority tried to test E154 was more than a decade ago. In 2011, it was clarified that the Authority could not rule out or confirm the toxicity or safety of this food coloring because it lacked new and sufficiently extensive data. For this reason, the Authority has officially stated that it cannot add E154 to the list of food additives authorized in the EU as a safe color.
It is true that, even though E154 is banned throughout the EU, it should be borne in mind that various other food additives are still used in the EU and may be harmful to health[5]. For example, E124, E150c and E150d and many others. So it's worth looking at the ingredients before buying products that look perfect or have unusual but eye-catching colors.
