EFFECTS OF RED VELVET FOOD ADDITIVE (E129 AND E110) ON CARDIAC HOMEOSTASIS AND LIPID PROFILE OF WISTAR RATS

Food additives are incorporated into foods for functional purposes. While food additives can provide great sensory enjoyment and commercial convenience, they could also pose potential health risks. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of . Red Velvet food colouring (E129 and E110) on cardiac homeostasis and lipid profile. Forty male Wistar rats weighing between 100g and 120g were used for this study. The rats were divided into five groups, (A, B, C, D, E) of eight rats each. Group A represented the control and were given distilled water, while Groups B, C, D, E were orally administered Red velvet in different doses (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg respectively) for 14 days. Experimental results from this study indicates Red velvet caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in cardiac levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione and triglycerides. Concentration of malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins and creatine kinase-MB were significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to the control. These results imply that continuous exposure to Red Velvet can induce oxidative stress and can trigger conditions which lead to cardiovascular diseases.