Food colourant allergy

I am allergic to Tartrazine and several of its "cousins" who are referred to as "permitted colourants" but which also affect me.   My eyes start swelling and my body starts itching - I am never without antihistamines as I always run into colourants in the most unexpected products.    Recently I bought Vit. C efferfescent tablets and soon after taking same my symptoms appeared.

There were no references on the container to colourants, but on the enclosed pamplet I read "This product contains a colourant which may cause allergies" so contacted the company concerned and enquired which colourant they used.  "Sunset Yellow - E.110".     Well!!!   I researched "adverse effects of inactive ingredients and this is what I found:

Sunset Yellow FD&C Yellow No.6

Urticaria (hives) Rhinitis (runny nose) Nasal congestion Bronchoconstriction (combined with Amaranth, Ponceau) Anaphylactoid reaction (combined with Ponceau) Eosinophilotactic response Purpura (bruising) Allergies Kidney tumors Chromosomal damage Abdominal pain Vomiting Indigestion Distaste for food SO PLEASE CHECK YOUR MEDICINE -  HAVE FOUND COLOURANTS IN VARIOUS MEDICATIONS, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ALLERGIC TO THE MEDICINE ITSELF BUT TO THE COLOURANTS!!

Hi percycat -
Yes - it seems to be the view of many organisations etc that Tartrazine's not all that dangerous, but my body doesnt lie. Whenever my symptoms show up I can always trace it back to a colourant. Re food additives and the FDA - they passed "aspertame" for use in foods, and have you googled the dangers of this product and the history of when and how it was passed? An eye-opener. . Oh by the way, Sunset Yellow E110 and no 6 are one and the same thing, this I also found out during my research. The trouble is, colourants/additives doesnt only cause allergies ... but just look at that long list of adverse conditions ...the source for this info. mentioned on the website, so nobody sucked that out of their fingers.! In SA tartrazine may be used but this must be indicated on the label. Other colourants are referred to as permitted colourants but as are dangerous. The trouble is, if you are not aware of the effects of colourants, you might not connect a migraine headache to a colourant in a margerine, like happened to a friend of mine, or asthma in kids when they take in colourful sweets and cooldrinks, fish fingers where the colourant is in the pretty colourful crumbs etc ...the list is endless! Take cae, Cecelia

Foods
Many foods contain tartrazine in varying proportions, depending on the manufacturer or the cook in charge, although nowadays the trend is to avoid it or substitute a non-synthetic dyeing substance such as annatto, malt color, or betacarotene.

Products including tartrazine commonly include confectionery, cotton candy, soft drinks (Mountain Dew), energy drinks, instant puddings, flavored corn chips (Doritos, Nachos, etc), cereals (corn flakes, muesli, etc.), cake mixes, pastries, custard powder, yellow popcorn, soups (particularly instant or "cube" soups), sauces, some rices (like paella, risotto, etc.), powdered drink mixes, sports drinks, ice cream, ice pops, candy, Peeps marmallow treats, chewing gum, marzipan, jam, jelly, gelatins, marmalade, mustard, horseradish, yogurt, noodles such as Kraft Dinner, pickles and other pickled products, certain brands of fruit squash, fruit cordial, potato chips, Biscuits, and many convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products.

Non-food products
Soaps, cosmetics, shampoos and other hair products, moisturizers, crayons, Hand Sanitizer and stamp dyes.

Medications
Vitamins, antacids, medicinal capsules and certain prescription drugs.

Hi Alcie,
You refer to "Lake" colours - do they have any reference numbers? One of my problems: When they refer to "permitted colourants" - in our country no 6 has been passed to use in medicines, so its a permitted colourant, the one I came across in the Vit C tablets. Had an argument with the manufacturers for using such a dangerous colourant in vitamins and they sent me proof that it had been passed to use in medicines. I think these dyes are much cheaper than the more "healthier" colourants?
Cecelia

Thanks Acie,  followed your advice and found the website very interesting, actually never heard of "Lakes" before or seen it on labels hre in SA, but will keep my eyes open in future.   I've managed to stay away from foods containing colourants for years now, never eat any sweets with colour (hooray for white marshmallows!), never drink any soft drinks, (only Appletizer)  only use white toileteries, etc, I'm very safe in this department, but oh my,  its the medicines and supplements which catch me time after time ...

Cecelia

Those who are sensitive to tartrazine might want also to keep a food journal.  One reason many people don't tolerate the color is that it contains two sulfites on the molecule.  If you have migraines when NOT consuming tartrazine you might want to look at the ingredients in other foods.

A medical article on food additives:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/d6v65956177228k2/

Migraine sufferers can have a reaction to a trigger consumed as much as 2 days previous to symptoms according to  Rick at http://www.learningtarget.com/nosulfites/index.htm

 

Also allergic to tratrazine and similar.
First discovered this when I was 20-ish (over 60 now, can't remember exact age!), it took a bit of tracking down, but finally found it was tartrazine in soft margarine which had recently been introduced in the UK.
I had bad urticaria and odema, treatment was hystamines and calamine lotion (and bathing in bicarb!).
I avoid E110, E122, E124 whenever I can.
Over the years I have had various 'flare-ups', sometimes from food, but also beware of medications with colour, and also cosmetics.
I have reacted to orange flavour dental polish used by my hygenist, and also mouthwash (CI19140 = E110).

I'm currently in the third day of a reaction which I believe was due to the colouring in pickled ginger in a Wagamama noodle meal. I found that pickled ginger is coloured with either beetroot, or E124.

Currently on Piriton anti-hystamine, starting with Prednisone shortly as this is a BAD attack.

I had one episode a few years ago when I had to take a powerful laxative prior to a colonoscopy, the preservative (sodium benzoate) gave me a very bad attack with swelling in the throat. Wife took me to A&E (ER in US speak!), as soon as I mentioned allergy and breathing at booking in, I was rushed through and given adrenalin, prednisone and anti-hystamines! Fast service!

I just spoke to my doctor and she suggested Aveeno skin cream instead of calamine - will try this soon and feedback.

Itching like mad, red almost all over, very uncomfortable!!!!

Post Edited (Sneezy24) : 6/29/2012 3:39:06 AM (GMT-6)