[Mutagenicity testing of some azo dyes used as food additives]

The mutagenicity of 4 azo dyes (Ponceau 4R, Amaranth, Sunset Yellow FCF and Tartrazine) that are widely used to color food has been evaluated. They were tested for mutagenicity in the Salmonella typhimurium plate-incorporation and preincubation assays. The standard plate-incorporation and preincubation assays performed directly on the dyes in the absence and presence of rat-liver S9. No mutagenic activity was seen for any of the azo dyes tested by using the standard tester strains, TA 98 and TA 100.