Abstract | BACKGROUND:
Tartrazine is the best known and one of the most commonly used food additives. Food colorants are also used in many medications as well as foods. There has been conflicting evidence as to whether tartrazine causes exacerbations of asthma with some studies finding a positive association especially in individuals with cross-sensitivity to aspirin. OBJECTIVES: To assess the overall effect of tartrazine (exclusion or challenge) in the management of asthma. SEARCH STRATEGY: A search was carried out using the Cochrane Airways Group specialised register. Bibliographies of each RCT was searched for additional papers. Authors of identified RCTs were contacted for further information for their trials and details of other studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Study quality was assessed and data abstracted by two reviewers independently. Outcomes were analysed using RevMan 4.1.1. MAIN RESULTS: Ninety abstracts were found, of which 18 were potentially relevant. Six met the inclusion criteria, but only three presented results in a format that permitted analysis and none could be combined in a meta-analysis. In none of the studies did tartrazine challenge or avoidance in diet significantly alter asthma outcomes. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Due to the paucity of available evidence, it is not possible to provide firm conclusions as to the effects of tartrazine on asthma control. However, the six RCTs that could be included in this review all arrived at the same conclusion. Routine tartrazine exclusion may not benefit most patients, except those very few individuals with proven sensitivity.
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Authors | K D Ardern, F S Ram |
Journal | The Cochrane database of systematic reviews
(Cochrane Database Syst Rev)
Issue 4
Pg. CD000460
( 2001)
ISSN: 1469-493X [Electronic] England |
PMID | 11687081
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Review, Systematic Review)
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Chemical References |
- Food Coloring Agents
- Tartrazine
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Topics |
- Asthma
(chemically induced, prevention & control)
- Food Coloring Agents
(administration & dosage, adverse effects)
- Humans
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
- Tartrazine
(administration & dosage, adverse effects)
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