Rethinking colorants and their hidden health and environmental impacts
Jorge Gonzalez-Perez, PhD, from Enhesa’s toxicology team, shares new research on colorants.
A colorant is a substance that adds color to various materials, including cosmetics, food, textiles, biomedical applications, and plastics. Colorants can be broadly classified into two main categories: Organic colorants (carbon-based compounds) and Inorganic colorants (mineral-based compounds).
At the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting 2025, I presented a well-received research poster to colorants conducted by the Enhesa toxicology team. I was drawn to this topic because colorants are everywhere, providing many benefits such as bright and stable colors, cost-effectiveness, and durability in products like food, cosmetics, and textiles. Yet, colorants and their health and impacts are seldom fully characterized, even less so their environmental impacts.
Inorganic colorants, in particular, can lead to health issues such as sensitization, irritation, and systemic toxicity. Since these compounds are considered non-biodegradable and do not break down further through biological processes, they can be toxic to aquatic life and contribute to water pollution. Organic colorants can have higher mobility concerns than inorganic colorants, and by adding their environmental persistence, they may also contaminate ecosystems and groundwater.
Research approach
In my research, I systematically evaluated 56 commercial colorants, using publicly available data and the SciveraLens database, which underpins Enhesa Sustainable Chemistry tools, Chemical Assess and Supply Chain Connect. Chemicals in the database are evaluated to provide an overall hazard category score across 24 human health, environmental fate, ecotoxicological impacts, and physicochemical properties.
(You can find out more about the GHS+ CHA framework used for evaluating chemicals here).
Results
The results of this analysis highlighted significant health and environmental challenges associated with colorants, particularly both types of colorant compounds.
- Inorganic colorants were found to be primarily responsible for the overall high hazard scores.
- These inorganic colorants mainly drove high hazard scores in environmental and human health endpoints.
The findings underscore the importance of further data collection and evaluation, as well as data transparency.
Implications and a call to action
The findings underscore the importance of further data collection and evaluation, as well as data transparency, especially for colorants used in consumer products like food and cosmetics.
The use of colorants is widespread across various industries. This analysis provides valuable insights to inform regulatory frameworks and encourage the development of safer, more sustainable alternatives in colorant formulation.
To mitigate their health and environmental impacts, potential strategies could include:
- Stricter regulations
- Development of safer, eco-friendly alternatives
- Better waste management
- Increased consumer awareness to drive demand for safer and more sustainable colorant solutions
This research intends to inspire individuals, companies, regulator agents, and federal agencies to adopt a more effective approach to manufacturing and disposing of colorants. We can work toward safer practices by raising awareness about the potential impact of these chemicals, which can influence the food chain. The 56 revised entries from our database provide a representative sample of the challenges we face in this area.
Find out more about Jorge and his work.
This research is especially relevant for industries including:
- Textiles
- Cosmetics
- Food and beverages
- Pharmaceuticals
- Biomedical products
As industries and consumers push for safer and more sustainable alternatives, assessment tools are critical for informed decision-making. Learn more about Enhesa Sustainable Chemistry Chemical Assess.
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