Quantitative measurement of synthetic dyes in food: Increasing health and food safety

Synthetic colors are additives which can affect the health and safety of food directly. As a result of the increase of synthetic dyes usage in industry and harmful effects of excessive consumption of synthetic colors on human health, we have attempted to propose a valid method by the simplest laboratory equipment for control dose of synthetic colors in foods. In this study, we have selected ice products as the real sample because of its simple matrix. Here, we have attempted to the determination of all allowed synthetic colors in ice samples as individual and mixtures of them (yellow-red, yellow-blue and red-blue) in one run simultaneously. All validation parameters of the method were calculated for each color and compared with international standards. Obtained results are in accordance with international standards and confirm that this method has a good potential to apply as a valid laboratory method not only for qualitative but also the measurement of synthetic colors in food.