ABSTRACT
Tartrazine is a food colouring additive commonly used in Egyptian food industry. This study was done on 15 male albino rats divided into two groups. A control group and a study group. Rats of the study group were given a daily oral dose of tartrazine for 14 weeks. The study was done to investigate the effect of tartrazine on the structure of the submandibular salivary gland, by using light and electron microscopes. The results revealed ill formed vaculated and ruptured salivary acini together with abnormal salivary duct system in serous and mucous acini multicellular demilunes were seen. UItrastructur results showed close faced heterochromatic nuclei surrounded by irregular indistinct, nucleus envelop together with less folding and loss of cellular boundaries mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum were decreased, TGFa activity was weak in the study group compared to their controls. This study recommended to limit the use of colouring food additives and to be used under control