| Toxicity |
A
food color formerly approved for use in the United States and
Europe. It was used primarily in jams and marmalades, maraschino
cherries, pickles and relishes, etc. The LD50 in rats is
150 mg/kg, i.p., and 600 mg/kg, p.o. Erythrosine has a variety of
actions in vitro due in large measure to its ability to affect biological
membranes and lipophilic sites of enzymes. Such data have
led to the hypothesis that erythrosine could be neurotoxic, but
both clinical and preclinical data have suggested that erythrosine
is not likely to be neurotoxic at doses that might be encountered.
Two other toxicological issues have been raised with this food
color. It has been suggested to be a potential, if weak, carcinogen,
and it may also contribute to potential thyroid toxicity resulting
from release of iodine.
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