Sudan I (SDI)

Sudan I is an organic compound, typically classified as an azo dye. It is an intensely orange-red solid that is added to colourise waxes, oils, petrol, solvents, and polishes. Sudan I has also been adopted for colouring various foodstuffs, especially curry powder and chili powder, although the use of Sudan I in foods is now banned in many countries, because Sudan I, Sudan III, and Sudan IV have been classified as category 3 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Sudan I is still used in some orange-coloured smoke formulations and as a colouring for cotton refuse used in chemistry experiments. Sudan I is a dye that was used as a food coloring agent, for instance it was used to color margarine to give it the typical butter color. It has been noted that since the seventies, some forms of cancer have appeared more frequently in industrialized societies.