Antibacterial effect of brilliant blue food dye

Brilliant blue is largely found in ice cream, canned processed peas, packet soups, blue raspberry flavored products, dairy products, sweets and drinks. It is also used in soaps, shampoos, mouthwash and other hygiene and cosmetics applications (Archived from Florida). This study was aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of Brilliant blue on Bacillus subtilis as a gram positive bacterial strain and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a gram negative bacterial strain with MIC, MBC, and disk diffusion assay. MIC values of Brilliant blue against Bacillus subtilis was ۵µg/ml, and MBC values was ۶۰ µg/ml and MIC values of Brilliant blue against Pseudomonas aeruginosa are ۱۰ µg/ml, and MBC values was ۸۰ µg/ mL. In this study Brilliant blue had only a bacteriostatic effect on two bacterial strains. The result of disk diffusion assay showed that Brilliant blue (۰.۶۲۵, ۱.۲۵, and ۱.۸۷۵ µg) has not antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It can be concluded that Brilliant blue might not pose a potential risk for our bacterial flora. However, it must be evaluated with different new studies.

Keywords:

Brilliant Blue , Food Dye , antimicrobial effect , Bacillus subtilis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa