Food dyes screening using electrochemistry approach in solid state: the case of sunset yellow dye electrochemical behavior

Concerning the importance of the identification and characterization of food dyes in food science, this work presents a screening method using voltammetry of immobilized microparticles for identification in solid state of sunset yellow, tartrazine yellow, brilliant blue, indigotine, and erythrosine in food matrices. Different aqueous supporting electrolyte were investigated for screening purpose and NaCl 0.1 mol L−1 showed to be suitable for evaluating dyes in solid state. By using square wave voltammetry as detection mode was possible to establish qualitative diagnostic criteria for identification of dyes in commercials powder of food dyes samples using both anodic and cathodic scan. Moreover, based on the solid-state electrochemistry profile and due to the lack of information about the electrochemical behavior of these compounds in solid state, some oxi/reduction pathways could be elucidated, and special attention was given to the case of sunset yellow dye.