• natural compounds or additives obtained from the natural ingredient (i)
• synthetic chemicals (ii)

CI 15985 Sunset Yellow FCF is a synthetic chemical product, an azo derivative, labelled as E110 in the list of food colours

The release of azo dyes in the environment is a concern due to the coloration of natural waters and the toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of dyes and their biotransformation products. Methods and techniques have therefore been studied to remove this dye from the textile industry's waste water using microorganisms (1), activated carbon (2).

In May 2010, the FSA (Food Standard Agency) established guidelines for some dyes, including the E110: "When using the colors listed below in food and drink ) to include the additional information that "name or number of the color (s)": may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children "(3).

Other studies

Functionalized cross-linked chitosan with ionic liquid and highly efficient removal of azo dyes from aqueous solution.  Lyu H, Fan J, Ling Y, Yu Y, Xie Z.  Int J Biol Macromol. 2019 Apr 1;126:1023-1029. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.117. 

Photocatalytic degradation of synthetic food dye, sunset yellow FCF (FD&C yellow no. 6) by Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. possessing antioxidant and cytotoxic activity.  Deepika S, Harishkumar R, Dinesh M, Abarna R, Anbalagan M, Roopan SM, Selvaraj CI.  J Photochem Photobiol B. 2017 Dec;177:44-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.10.015.

Estimate of the theoretical maximum daily intake of Sunset Yellow FCF by the Brazilian population.  Feitosa LCA, Rodrigues PDS, Da Silva AS, Rios AO, Cladera-Olivera F.  Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2017 May;34(5):687-694. doi: 10.1080/19440049.2017.1290829. Epub 2017 Feb 20.

Removal of sunset yellow FCF from aqueous solution using polyethyleneimine-modified MWCNTs.  Gao H, Zhang L, Liao Y.  Water Sci Technol. 2016;73(6):1269-78. doi: 10.2166/wst.2015.601.

References_________________________________________

(1) Decolorization and degradation of Disperse Blue 79 and Acid Orange 10, by Bacillus fusiformis KMK5 isolated from the textile dye contaminated soil.
Kolekar YM, Pawar SP, Gawai KR, Lokhande PD, Shouche YS, Kodam KM.
Bioresour Technol. 2008 Dec.
(2) Perspectives on carbon materials as powerful catalysts in continuous anaerobic bioreactors.
Pereira RA, Salvador AF, Dias P, Pereira MF, Alves MM, Pereira L.
Water Res. 2016 Sep.

(3) FSA - Guidance on the labelling of certain food colours as set out in Regulation 1333/2008

CI 15985 or Sunset Yellow FCF 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:

• Sunset Yellow FCF
• 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.