Tartrazine and early puberty signs in young female rats
What it found
In immature female rats, a high dose of tartrazine was linked to earlier vaginal opening and higher levels of some puberty hormones.
The study was in animals, not people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Vaginal opening
On day 45 of age, all rats given the 47 mg/kg dose had vaginal opening, compared with 41.66% of control rats. The average age at vaginal opening did not differ significantly between groups.
Puberty hormones
Rats given 47 mg/kg tartrazine had higher blood levels of estradiol and LH than controls. FSH and progesterone levels were not significantly changed at any dose.
Uterus changes
The 47 mg/kg dose increased the relative weight of the uterus. Uterine epithelial thickness was greater at 27 and 47 mg/kg than in controls.
Ovarian follicles
At 47 mg/kg, rats had more total follicles, and more primary, secondary and antral follicles than controls. Ovarian cholesterol and protein levels were unchanged.
Mammary glands
Microscope images showed eosinophilic secretions in the mammary gland acini of rats given 47 mg/kg tartrazine, compared with controls.
Body weight
Tartrazine did not change body weight at any dose over the 40 days. The weight gain seen in all groups was normal growth over time.
What the authors conclude
“Taken all together, these results might justify at least in part the increasingly early onset of puberty observed in our populations and provide a substantial scientific prove confirming tartrazine as an endocrine disruptor.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that tartrazine at 47 mg/kg body weight, a dose they say matches the acceptable daily intake for humans, increased vaginal opening, uterine weight and thickness, and levels of LH and estradiol.
- They say these results might partly explain the increasingly early onset of puberty in populations and provide scientific evidence that tartrazine acts as an endocrine disruptor.
How it was done
The average age at which puberty starts has fallen over the past century, and some food additives are thought to play a part. The authors wanted to test whether tartrazine could act as an endocrine disruptor affecting sexual maturation.
They gave 20 immature female Wistar rats tartrazine by mouth once a day for 40 days, at doses of 7.5, 27 or 47 mg/kg body weight, or plain water for the control group. They checked the vagina daily for opening, then looked at reproductive organs, hormones and ovarian follicles.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a study in rats, so it cannot show what tartrazine does in people.
- The rats were given tartrazine for 40 days only, so the study cannot show any effects of longer use.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors of this manuscript declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- University of Yaounde I, Cameroon; Rhodes University, South Africa; University of Johannesburg, South Africa
The paper
- Title
- Effects of Tartrazine on Some Sexual Maturation Parameters in Immature Female Wistar Rats
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Mindang ELN, Awounfack CF, Ndinteh DT, Krause RWM, Njamen D (2022). Effects of Tartrazine on Some Sexual Maturation Parameters in Immature Female Wistar Rats. International journal of environmental research and public health. doi:10.3390/ijerph191610410Free full textPubMed 36012044DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error