Sunset yellow FCF

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Gut inflammation in mice³

  In animal studies, sunset yellow made colitis worse in mice by changing gut bacteria and sulfur use.

• Concern

  Gut bacteria and gut lining⁴

  In animal studies, Sunset yellow FCF changed gut bacteria and weakened the gut lining, letting bacterial bits into the blood.

• Concern

  Protein clumping in the gut⁵

  Sunset yellow FCF made a digestive protein clump together, but only in acid conditions.

• Concern

  Liver disease risk⁶

  In lab studies, sunset yellow switched on oestrogen receptors, and scientists think this might add to liver problems.

How it’s made and used

• How much colouring people eat¹

  Most people eating foods with Sunset Yellow took in less than one milligram per kilo of body weight daily.

• Dye intake in young people²

  Some Brazilian teenagers may take in more Sunset yellow FCF than the recommended daily limit.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them. IARC rates whether something can cause cancer at all, not how likely it is at the amounts in food.

• UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 2011

  Acceptable daily intake: up to 4 mg per kg of body weight.

• WHO cancer agency (IARC), 1987

  Not enough evidence to say whether it causes cancer in people (Group 3).