Sunset Yellow FCF or CI 15985 is a monoazo dye, a class of commercial organic dyes.

Chemical name: disodium;6-hydroxy-5-[(4-sulfonatophenyl)diazenyl]naphthalene-2-sulfonate

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

Restricted cosmetic ingredient as  IV/20 a Relevant Item in the Annexes of the European Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. Substance or ingredient reported: Disodium 6-[(2,4-dimethyl-6-sulphonatophenyl)azo]-5-hydroxynaphthalene-1-sulphonate

Colorant. This ingredient has the function of colouring the solution in which it is inserted in a temporary, semi-permanent or permanent manner, either alone or in the presence of the complementary components added for colouring.

It is a chemical compound, an ingredient included in the list of European food additives as dye E110.

It is used in:

• biocides (e.g. disinfectants, pest control products) 
  
• fertilisers
  
• cosmetics 
  
• personal care products
  
• inks and toners
  
• air care products
  
• textile treatment products
  
• dyes
  
• paper chemicals

Safety. The problem with azo dyes (monoazo or diazo) is photocatalytic degradation leading to oxidation and subsequent formation of impurities such as aromatic amines, some of which have carcinogenic activity (1).

CI 15985 Sunset Yellow FCF studies

Molecular Formula: C₁₆H₁₀N₂Na₂O₇S₂

Molecular Weight: 452.363 g/mol

UNII: H77VEI93A8

CAS: 2783-94-0   

EC Number: 220-491-7  

PubChem Substance ID 24870256

MDL number MFCD00036437

Colour Index Number 15985

Synonyms:

• CI 15985
• D&C YELLOW NO. 6
• E110
• Food yellow 3
• SUNSET YELLOW FCF
• C.I. Food Yellow 3
• FD&C Yellow 6
• Orange Yellow S

References________________________________________________________________________

(1) Chung KT, Stevens SE Jr, Cerniglia CE. The reduction of azo dyes by the intestinal microflora. Crit Rev Microbiol. 1992;18(3):175-90. doi: 10.3109/10408419209114557.

Abstract. Azo dyes are widely used in the textile, printing, paper manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and food industries and also in research laboratories. When these compounds either inadvertently or by design enter the body through ingestion, they are metabolized to aromatic amines by intestinal microorganisms. Reductive enzymes in the liver can also catalyze the reductive cleavage of the azo linkage to produce aromatic amines. However, evidence indicates that the intestinal microbial azoreductase may be more important than the liver enzymes in azo reduction. In this article, we examine the significance of the capacity of intestinal bacteria to reduce azo dyes and the conditions of azo reduction. Many azo dyes, such as Acid Yellow, Amaranth, Azodisalicylate, Chicago Sky Blue, Congo Red, Direct Black 38, Direct Blue 6, Direct Blue 15, Direct Brown 95, Fast Yellow, Lithol Red, Methyl Orange, Methyl Red, Methyl Yellow, Naphthalene Fast Orange 2G, Neoprontosil, New Coccine, Orange II, Phenylazo-2-naphthol, Ponceau 3R, Ponceau SX, Red 2G, Red 10B, Salicylazosulphapyridine, Sunset Yellow, Tartrazine, and Trypan Blue, are included in this article. A wide variety of anaerobic bacteria isolated from caecal or fecal contents from experimental animals and humans have the ability to cleave the azo linkage(s) to produce aromatic amines. Azoreductase(s) catalyze these reactions and have been found to be oxygen sensitive and to require flavins for optimal activity. The azoreductase activity in a variety of intestinal preparations was affected by various dietary factors such as cellulose, proteins, fibers, antibiotics, or supplementation with live cultures of lactobacilli.