LIVER ENZYME AND NON ENZYME

Food fraud is currently a persistent global problem with advancing technology and no food commodity is left out as in the case of palm oil. The aim of this research is to ascertain the toxicological effects of Sudan III and Sudan IV azo dye in palm oil on liver enzyme and non enzyme markers of rats. The experiment lasted for a total of 3 weeks. The first week was for acclimatization, 2 weeks for Sudan III & IV administration (everyday). The total of 48 male albino rats were used for this study and they all had equal rations of food and water. They were grouped into eight (8) categories for the study, each group having eight (6) animals. The results for Body Weight at week 0 showed a statistically significant difference across the different groups (p < 0.05). The analysis of liver enzyme markers revealed significant differences in glutathione peroxidase levels across groups. However, there was no significant differences between any specific groups, possibly due to the small sample sizes (N = 3). On the other hand, the results for malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the liver, showed that the "SUDAN III 50 mg" group had a significantly higher mean value compared to all other groups. This finding suggests that exposure to the highest dose of Sudan III dye (50 mg) may lead to increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats. These findings highlight the importance of strict regulations and monitoring to prevent the illegal use of such dyes in food products and to protect public health.