TOXICOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF FOOD ADDITIVES BY BIOASSAY

The paper is devoted to the study of the toxicity levels of food additives by bioassay using Daphnia magna as model organisms. The directions and methods of research have been described. The toxicity of most food additives has been determined for the maximum permissible concentrations. The following widely used food additives have been tested: tartrazine (E102), sunset yellow (E110), azorubine (E122), Ponceau 4R (E124), indigo carmine (E132), brilliant blue (E133), sorbic acid (E200), potassium sorbate (E202), benzoic acid (E210), sodium benzoate (E211), formaldehyde (E240), sodium nitrite (E250), boric acid (E284), sodium isoscorbate (E316), citric acid (E330), phosphate Biophos 90 (E339), guar gum (E412), glycerol (E422), copper sulphate (E519), aspartame (E951), saccharin (E954). It has been proposed that the concentrations present in food products be used for bioassay of the additives Sodium Isoascorbate E316, Citric acid E330, Guar gum E412, Glycerol E422, the maximum concentrations of which are not prescribed in the Sanitary Rules and Regulations. The paper determines the acute and chronic toxic effects that each food additive under study produces on Daphnia magna. For tartrazine E102, sunset yellow E110, Ponceau 4R E124, and copper sulphate E519, no acute toxic impact was recorded, since the mortality of the model organisms did not exceed 25%. A synergistic effect of the use of popular combinations of food additives in various products has been revealed, namely that of: benzoic acid E210 and sorbic acid E200, sodium benzoate E211 and potassium sorbate E202, sodium nitrite E250 and sodium phosphate E339. The combination that caused the greatest lethality (more than 75%) during the bioassay was that of the additives E211 and E202. It has been established that all combinations of these food additives produce the greatest toxic effect, as compared with the toxic effect of individual additives. Further research in this direction has been proposed. The research results determine the need to reduce the maximum permissible levels of food additives that are currently in effect.