Detecting harmful dye used to make ketchup red
07-May-2013
- China
It may soon be easier to protect consumers from dangerous condiments thanks to an electrochemical method developed by Chinese scientists that can spot the toxic azo dye, Orange II. They were able to spot the dye at nanomolar concentrations in ketchup and chilli products using the sensor.
Orange II is commonly used in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), wood stains and the textiles industry. However, the dye is sometimes illegally used to restore the red colour in food commodities, despite its adverse health effects if eaten.
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