Abstract：
Some synthetic dyes are fraudulently added into spices to appeal visually to consumers. Food regulations in several countries, including the United States, Australia, Japan and the European Union, strictly prohibit the use of unauthorised synthetic dyes in food. Nevertheless, illegal practices persist, where spices contaminated with potentially carcinogenic dyes have been documented, posing potential health risks to consumers. In the present study, 14 synthetic dyes were investigated through liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry in 252 commercially available spices in the Singapore market. In 18 out of these (7.1%) at least 1 illegal dye was detected at concentrations ranging from 0.010 to 114 mg/kg. Besides potential health risks, presence of these adulterants also reflects the economic motivations behind their fraudulent use. Findings in the present study further emphasise the need for increased public awareness, stricter enforcement, and continuous monitoring of illegal synthetic dyes in spices to ensure Singapore\'s food safety.
摘要：
一些合成染料被欺诈地添加到香料中以在视觉上吸引消费者。几个国家的食品法规，包括美国,澳大利亚,日本和欧盟,严禁在食品中使用未经授权的合成染料。然而，非法行为仍然存在，已经记录了被潜在致癌染料污染的香料，给消费者带来潜在的健康风险。在本研究中,通过液相色谱/串联质谱法研究了新加坡市场上252种市售香料中的14种合成染料。在其中18种（7.1％）中，至少检测到一种非法染料的浓度为0.010至114mg/kg。除了潜在的健康风险，这些掺假物的存在也反映了其欺诈性使用背后的经济动机。本研究的结果进一步强调了提高公众意识的必要性，更严格的执法,并持续监测香料中的非法合成染料，以确保新加坡的食品安全。
