Food colouring agents as provokers for allergy among children

This work was conducted to study food colouring agents as provocating factors for allergy among children. The study included 354 children [172 males and 182 females]. Five artificial colouring agents were used to perform patch and prick tests. They were ponceau red, brilliant blue, tartrazine chocolate brown. The green colour was a mixture of brilliant blue and tartrazine. The results of the study revealed that 16.1% of the total sample reacted positively to one or more of the agents used, the majority of them were children with history of atopic diseases. The study revealed also that ponceau red gave the highest reaction rate [10.73%] followed by the green colouring agent and then the chocolate brown. Tartrazine and brilliant blue gave reaction only when combined together as green colour or with other agents