The potential histopathological effect of Sunset Yellow FCF on lungs and hearts of developing mice

Purpose Existing research on the effects of azo dyes on human health is insufficient and often contradictory. Children are more exposed to the negative effects of food dyes than adults because they consume more foods and drinks containing food dyes. The research aimed to address the potential histopathological impacts of Sunset Yellow on the lungs and hearts of developing mice. Design/methodology/approach About36 adult male Swiss albino mice were separated into six groups (n: 6). The groups were created, including three treatment groups (four, eight and 10 weeks old) and three control groups. Sunset Yellow (a dose level of 30 mg/kg/bw) per week was administered orally for 28 days to the treatment groups, while the control groups were not treated. On the final day of the research, the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and their lungs and hearts were removed. The tissues were preserved in 10% formaldehyde and processed through a series of alcohol and xylene. Then they were dyed with hematoxylin-eosin and evaluated under light and electron microscopy. Findings Sunset Yellow caused significant increases in mean body weight ( p : 0.013), lung weight ( p : 0.011) and heart weight ( p : 0.049). Hemorrhage, inflammation and vacuole formation were detected in lung tissue, while severe hemorrhage, vacuoles and degenerated cells were observed in heart muscle tissue. Notably, the histopathological changes in lung and heart tissues were more pronounced during the weaning period. Sunset Yellow induced histopathological and physiological abnormalities in the lungs and hearts of mice, suggesting it may adversely affect lung and heart development during weaning and adolescence. Therefore, restricting the use of Sunset Yellow may be warranted in early life stages. Research limitations/implications Finally, as all studies have limitations, the research has limitations. The limitation of this study is the SY dose applied. Although the selected dose was determined based on the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) value used as a reference, investigating the effects of SY at different doses could be beneficial. Additionally, different analytical methods could be applied, and the results could be compared. In today’s society, challenges include a lack of knowledge about the effects of daily consumption of SY on health, limited and outdated resources on the subject and scarcity of field research. Originality/value Sunset Yellow may be especially harmful during adolescence and adulthood. Highlights • Sunset Yellow (SY) affected the lungs and hearts of mice developing. • SY caused a rise in the average bodyweight and relative organ weights. • Degeneration noted in lungs and hearts of all age groups of mice. • SY may be especially harmful during childhood and youth. Graphical abstract