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Absence of mutagenic activity and a short-term toxicity study of beet pigments as food colorants

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Abstract

Beet colorant was tested for mutagenic activity in five S. typhimurium strains. The absence of mutagenic activity was found with or without S-9 rat liver fractions.

Groups of six rats were fed red beet colorant preparations containing 2,000 ppm betalains in the diet for 7 days. No significant differences were noted in body weight gains, feed consumption, or gross pathological alterations compared to the controls.

These preliminary toxicological results indicate the potential usage of betalain pigments as a food colorant, but further long term investigations are warranted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, WI, USA

    Joachim H. von Elbe & Steven J. Schwartz

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  1. Joachim H. von Elbe
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  2. Steven J. Schwartz
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von Elbe, J.H., Schwartz, S.J. Absence of mutagenic activity and a short-term toxicity study of beet pigments as food colorants. Arch Toxicol 49, 93–98 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00352077

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00352077

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