- Email: [email protected]
Carmine-induced anaphylaxis
f!)
Pergamon
Food and Chemical Toxicology 36 (1998) 149-153
Information Section ABSTRACTS FROM THE LITERATURE These abstracts are taken from a section of the BIBRABulletin, a current-awareness journal compiled by the Information & Advisory Section of BmRA International. This uniquemonthly digest of health and safety developments informs its readers of the toxicological issues that may affect product acceptability in chemical and nutritional areas, new and proposed regulatory activities and current thinking on future legislation, worldwide. The BIBRA Bulletin is available on subscription. Further information can be obtained from the Information & Advisory Section at BmRA International (tel. +44 (0)181-6521000; fax +44 (0)181-661 7029).
Carmine-induced anaphylaxis An American woman who ate a "popsicle" coloured with carmine experienced nausea within minutes and subsequently developed itching and weals on the skin, low blood pressure and an increase in heart rate. Allergy to carmine was confirmed by skin prick tests with the popsicle ingredients and by the presence of specific antibodies to the colourant in the patient's serum. The investigators note that they have since identified two further patients who suffered anaphylaxis after ingestion of carmine-containing foods, both of whom had positive skin prick tests to carmine (Baldwin J.L. et al., A nnalsofAllergy,
Asthma and Immunology 1997,79,415).
Olestra-no low-dose gastrointestinal effects in volunteers A double-blind study in the US has concluded that the consumption of a standard portion of crisps prepared with olestra as part of the usual diet was no more likely to result in gastrointestinal symptoms than was the consumption of regular crisps, even in individuals claiming olestra intolerance. A total of 53 subjects who had previously reported symptoms that they attributed to olestra-cooked crisps were given 2 oz of crisps that had been fried in either olestra or "conventional triglycerides" once a week for 4 weeks in a cross-over study, each subject being exposed to each kind of crisp twice. Their symptoms were reported 3-5 days after each snack challenge. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the reported frequency and severity of any of the measured endpointsabdominal cramping, loose stools, diarrhoea or "gas" (Zorich N.L. et al., Regulatory Toxicology and
Phamzacology 1977, 26, 200).
Protective effects of auraptenefrom citrus fruits Diets containing auraptene, a natural component of citrus peel, reduced the number of precancerous lesions (aberrant crypt foci) in the colon of rats fed a known carcinogen. The rats were given the auraptene at either 100 or 500 ppm (about 4 and 20 mg/kg body weight/day) for 5 weeks starting 1 week before the first dose of the carcinogen. Auraptene also suppressed several markers of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa. In a separate experiment, the activities of two detoxifying enzymes (quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferase)in the liver and colon were increased by a single oral dose of 200 mg auraptene/kg body weight (Tanaka T. et al., Carcinogenesis 1997,18, 2155).
Cholesterol-lowering effects in rats of Chinese teas All of five tested varieties of Chinese tea produced a significant reduction in serum and liver cholesterol levels in rats on a cholesterol-enriched diet. The two teas with the minimum degree of fermentation (Chinese green tea and jasmine tea) were also found to inhibit the cholesterol-induced increase in liver weight due to lipid deposition, this effect being attributed to their higher catechin levels (notably epigallocatechin gallate) (Yang T.T.C. and Koo
M.W.L., Phamzacologicat Research 1997, 35, 505).
The health benefits of alcohol In a "middle-aged and elderly population, moderate alcohol consumption slightly reduced overall mortality". This was the conclusion of a US study which examined the cause of death of 46,000 of an initial cohort of 490,000 men and women (initially aged 30-104 years). The death rate from cardio-
0278-6915/98 $19.00+0.00 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain
Pergamon
Food and Chemical Toxicology 36 (1998) 149-153
Information Section ABSTRACTS FROM THE LITERATURE These abstracts are taken from a section of the BIBRABulletin, a current-awareness journal compiled by the Information & Advisory Section of BmRA International. This uniquemonthly digest of health and safety developments informs its readers of the toxicological issues that may affect product acceptability in chemical and nutritional areas, new and proposed regulatory activities and current thinking on future legislation, worldwide. The BIBRA Bulletin is available on subscription. Further information can be obtained from the Information & Advisory Section at BmRA International (tel. +44 (0)181-6521000; fax +44 (0)181-661 7029).
Carmine-induced anaphylaxis An American woman who ate a "popsicle" coloured with carmine experienced nausea within minutes and subsequently developed itching and weals on the skin, low blood pressure and an increase in heart rate. Allergy to carmine was confirmed by skin prick tests with the popsicle ingredients and by the presence of specific antibodies to the colourant in the patient's serum. The investigators note that they have since identified two further patients who suffered anaphylaxis after ingestion of carmine-containing foods, both of whom had positive skin prick tests to carmine (Baldwin J.L. et al., A nnalsofAllergy,
Asthma and Immunology 1997,79,415).
Olestra-no low-dose gastrointestinal effects in volunteers A double-blind study in the US has concluded that the consumption of a standard portion of crisps prepared with olestra as part of the usual diet was no more likely to result in gastrointestinal symptoms than was the consumption of regular crisps, even in individuals claiming olestra intolerance. A total of 53 subjects who had previously reported symptoms that they attributed to olestra-cooked crisps were given 2 oz of crisps that had been fried in either olestra or "conventional triglycerides" once a week for 4 weeks in a cross-over study, each subject being exposed to each kind of crisp twice. Their symptoms were reported 3-5 days after each snack challenge. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the reported frequency and severity of any of the measured endpointsabdominal cramping, loose stools, diarrhoea or "gas" (Zorich N.L. et al., Regulatory Toxicology and
Phamzacology 1977, 26, 200).
Protective effects of auraptenefrom citrus fruits Diets containing auraptene, a natural component of citrus peel, reduced the number of precancerous lesions (aberrant crypt foci) in the colon of rats fed a known carcinogen. The rats were given the auraptene at either 100 or 500 ppm (about 4 and 20 mg/kg body weight/day) for 5 weeks starting 1 week before the first dose of the carcinogen. Auraptene also suppressed several markers of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa. In a separate experiment, the activities of two detoxifying enzymes (quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferase)in the liver and colon were increased by a single oral dose of 200 mg auraptene/kg body weight (Tanaka T. et al., Carcinogenesis 1997,18, 2155).
Cholesterol-lowering effects in rats of Chinese teas All of five tested varieties of Chinese tea produced a significant reduction in serum and liver cholesterol levels in rats on a cholesterol-enriched diet. The two teas with the minimum degree of fermentation (Chinese green tea and jasmine tea) were also found to inhibit the cholesterol-induced increase in liver weight due to lipid deposition, this effect being attributed to their higher catechin levels (notably epigallocatechin gallate) (Yang T.T.C. and Koo
M.W.L., Phamzacologicat Research 1997, 35, 505).
The health benefits of alcohol In a "middle-aged and elderly population, moderate alcohol consumption slightly reduced overall mortality". This was the conclusion of a US study which examined the cause of death of 46,000 of an initial cohort of 490,000 men and women (initially aged 30-104 years). The death rate from cardio-
0278-6915/98 $19.00+0.00 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain