ACUTE AND SHORT-TERM TOXICITY STUDIES ON ERYTHROSINE BS IN RODENTS

The 7-day LD50 values for for erythrosine BS [artificial food color, FD and C Red No. 3] were similar in both sexes of rats and mice at 6.7-7.4 g/kg after a single oral administration and 0.32-0.40 g/kg following an i.p. injection. Erythrosine BS was given to groups of 15 male and 15 female rats at dietary concentrations of 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0% for 13 wk. There were no effects attributable to treatment on the rate of body-weight gain, food intake, results of hematological examinations, serum analyses or renal function tests. The main findings in the study were cecal distension at all treatment levels, an increase in thyroid weight and pigmentation of the kidney tubules. The pigmentation was found in both sexes at the highest level and in males given 0.5 or 1.0% erythrosine BS. The no-untoward-effect level was 0.25% of the diet, equivalent to an intake of 160-170 mg/kg per day.