Tartrazine: lab and animal evidence on health effects
What it found
In lab tests and animal studies, tartrazine was linked to oxidative stress, organ changes and behaviour effects, often at doses above typical human intake.
Some human studies also report allergies and hyperactivity, especially in children.
What they found
Studies in people
Allergies and behaviour in people
Some human studies linked tartrazine to hives, asthma, migraines and blurred vision. In children, a double-blind study found irritability, restlessness and sleep problems that worsened with higher doses, and another study found more hyperactivity when a mix of dyes was consumed.
Animal and lab studies
Oxidative stress in animals
Many rodent studies found tartrazine increased markers of oxidative damage, such as MDA, and lowered antioxidant enzymes like SOD, CAT and GSH in the brain, liver, kidneys and blood. These changes were seen at doses from 2.5 to 700 mg/kg.
Organ damage in animals
In rodents, tartrazine caused liver and kidney changes, including raised liver enzymes and creatinine, and damage to the testes, heart, and intestines. Some studies also found changes in blood glucose, insulin and lipid levels.
Behaviour and nerves in animals
Animal studies reported hyperactivity, anxiety, learning problems and changes in brain tissue, such as neuronal apoptosis and vascular congestion. These effects appeared with longer exposure or higher doses.
Cell studies
In human cells, tartrazine did not kill normal lymphocytes or fibroblasts at high concentrations, but it did damage DNA in lymphocytes and caused epigenetic changes in keratinocytes and cancer cell lines. Some cancer cells were more sensitive.
Other findings
Doses used
Most animal studies used doses from 100 to 700 mg/kg body weight, which is much higher than typical human intake of 0 to 10 mg/kg. The authors note that cumulative exposure from food, drugs and cosmetics could approach the acceptable daily intake, especially in children.
What the authors conclude
“Considering the potential for cumulative exposure, individual variability, and unclear thresholds for chronic toxicity, a re-evaluation of tartrazine's safety is both timely and necessary.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that accumulating evidence raises serious concerns about tartrazine's safety and that a re-evaluation is timely and necessary.
- They advise that replacing tartrazine with safer natural alternatives should be prioritised to protect public health, especially for sensitive groups.
- They call for long-term clinical studies, identification of biomarkers, and clarification of epigenetic mechanisms.
How it was done
The authors wanted to pull together evidence from cells and animals on tartrazine's possible toxic effects, and compare it with side effects reported in people. They aimed to clarify the safety of this widely used dye, especially for children.
They reviewed published experiments in human cells, fish, and rodents, plus some human studies. Doses in animals ranged from 2.5 to 700 mg/kg body weight, and in people the acceptable daily intake is 0 to 10 mg/kg body weight.
What it can’t tell you
- Most of the evidence comes from animal and lab studies, often at doses far above typical human intake, so the results cannot show what happens in people eating normal amounts.
- Human data are mostly from associations, which can show a link but not prove that tartrazine causes the effects.
- The authors note that direct clinical evidence is limited and thresholds for chronic toxicity are unclear.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Authors work at
- "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi, Romania; Apollonia University, Romania; Academy of Romanian Scientists, Romania
The paper
- Title
- Toxicological Effects of Tartrazine Exposure: A Review of In Vitro and Animal Studies with Human Health Implications
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Visternicu M, Săvucă A, Rarinca V, et al (2025). Toxicological Effects of Tartrazine Exposure: A Review of In Vitro and Animal Studies with Human Health Implications. Toxics. doi:10.3390/toxics13090771Free full textPubMed 41012392DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error