Bio-metabolic disposition of metanil yellow, orange II and their blend by caecal microflora of rats.

Caecal microflora were employed to study the degradation pattern, with time course of Metanil yellow and Orange II-two extensively used non-permitted food colours. Metanil yellow and Orange II showed the respective Degradation Index 50 (DI 50) values of 369 and 288 min. However, the blend of Metanil yellow and Orange II (1:1) resulted in the D1 50.value of 288 min. Metanil yellow, Orange II and their blend were resolved into respective metabolites in different solvent systems.