Studies on the genotoxicity of some fluorescein dyes

The activities of 2,4,5,7-tetraiodofluorescein, disodium salt (erythrosine) and 2 phloxine dyes (2,4,5,7-tetrabromo-12,15-dichlorofluorescein, dipotassium salt and the disodium salt of 2,4,5,7-tetraiodo-12,15-dichlorofluorescein) have been determined using DNA-repair, fluctuation and treat-and-plate assays. Tests were conducted with and without illumination from a daylight fluorescent lamp. Both phloxine dyes were active in a rec assay but only in the absence of a rat-liver microsomal metabolising system. Erythrosine was inactive under all conditions. Although the results agreed with some of the published data for these foods and cosmetic colours, previous reports of photodynamic activation and mutagenicity were not confirmed. In the light of recent concern over the efficacy of bacterial DNA-repair tests, it is considered that the results obtained are not at present conclusive evidence for genotoxic hazard of any of the dyes studied.