HPLC analysis finds tartrazine and Sunset Yellow in all Syrian orange juice samples, with tartrazine above Codex limits in five

Every one of 11 commercial orange juice samples bought in Syrian markets contained the synthetic dyes tartrazine and Sunset Yellow, according to a study that used high-performance liquid chromatography to measure the colorants and compared the results against international safety limits. Concentrations ranged from 13.68 to 175.5 ppm for tartrazine and from 9.72 to 98.88 ppm for Sunset Yellow, with mean values across all samples of 90.67 ± 44.75 ppm and 55.64 ± 28.58 ppm respectively. When the measurements were set against the Codex Alimentarius maximum permitted concentration of 100 mg/kg for both dyes, tartrazine exceeded the limit in 5 of the 11 samples, a 45 percent exceedance rate, while Sunset Yellow stayed within the limit in every sample.

The study, published in Discover Chemical Engineering, set out to determine the presence and concentration of tartrazine (E102) and Sunset Yellow (E110) in orange juice products sold in Syrian markets and to evaluate their compliance with international safety standards. The authors note that these synthetic colorants are widely used in the food industry to give products a more appealing appearance, but that safety concerns about their health effects, particularly in children, have made monitoring and regulation necessary.

The analytical work relied on HPLC with UV-visible detection at 230 nm. The researchers collected 11 samples of commercially sold orange juice and prepared each one by extracting the dyes with 10 percent ammonia in methanol, subjecting the extract to ultrasonication for 30 minutes, and filtering it through 0.45 μm syringe filters. Chromatographic separation took place on a C18 column measuring 4.6 × 250 mm with 5 μm particles, using an isocratic mobile phase of methanol and acetate buffer at pH 4.5 mixed in a 30:70 volume ratio. The flow rate was 0.6 mL/min and the total run time was 12 minutes.

The authors describe the method’s novelty as lying in its simplicity, since it uses isocratic elution rather than a gradient, and in its reduced solvent consumption, with a 12-minute runtime compared with 15 to 25 minutes in previous studies. They position the approach as suitable for routine quality control in resource-limited settings and describe the work as the first comprehensive analysis of synthetic dyes in the Syrian market. Analytical parameters including retention time, detection limits and quantification limits were validated according to the ICH Q2(R1) guidelines.

To translate the measured concentrations into a safety context, the team compared the quantified dye levels against permissible intake limits expressed relative to body weight: 4 mg/kg/day for Sunset Yellow and 7 mg/kg/day for tartrazine. Using these Acceptable Daily Intake values, the researchers calculated that a 10 kg child would exceed the ADI for Sunset Yellow after consuming approximately 404.5 mL of sample 5. The calculations also covered a 60 kg adult body weight, and the authors report that cumulative exposure from ingesting both colorants simultaneously posed a potential health risk according to their calculations for both consumer weights.

Beyond the concentration data, the study flagged discrepancies between what the products contained and what their labels declared. The authors note that such differences appeared in other samples regarding what was claimed on the product label about dye content, and they single out the Fruuty big brand, which did not declare colorant concentrations on its label. This labeling gap matters because consumers and caregivers have no way to account for dye intake from these products when managing overall exposure, particularly for children whose lower body weight means smaller volumes of juice can approach or exceed intake thresholds.

The authors conclude that the validated HPLC method proved highly efficient in the sensitive and accurate quantification of the synthetic colorants under orange juice conditions. They report that most products were within the prescribed limits, but that the presence of both dyes at differing levels, together with the labeling inconsistencies, warrants stricter regulatory enforcement. In their view, continuous monitoring and transparent labeling will help safeguard public health, especially for at-risk groups such as children.

The study’s scope is limited to the 11 samples collected for the analysis and to the two dyes measured, and the authors frame their results as evidence for the need for ongoing monitoring rather than as a market-wide verdict. The exposure calculations rest on the measured concentrations and the stated ADI values, and the authors present the child scenario for sample 5 as the clearest example of how quickly a small consumer could reach the Sunset Yellow intake threshold. The combination of universal dye presence, the tartrazine exceedances and the undeclared colorant content in at least one brand forms the basis of the authors’ call for stricter enforcement and clearer labeling in the Syrian juice market.

Subject of Research: Quantification of the synthetic dyes tartrazine and Sunset Yellow in commercial orange juices from Syrian markets by HPLC and assessment of their compliance with safety limits

Article Title: Quantitative determination and safety assessment of tartrazine and Sunset Yellow in commercial orange juices from Syrian markets using high-performance liquid chromatography

Article References: Jawad, M. A., Dakah, A., Almassrani, S., Nasab, H., Refai, Y., Alhana, R., & Almarash, B. (2026). Quantitative determination and safety assessment of tartrazine and Sunset Yellow in commercial orange juices from Syrian markets using high-performance liquid chromatography. Discover Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43938-026-00157-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43938-026-00157-5

Keywords: tartrazine, Sunset Yellow, orange juice, HPLC, food safety, synthetic colorants, acceptable daily intake, Codex Alimentarius, Syria, food labeling, children's health, quality control