Patent blue v

Patent blue V, is a blue well-tolerated synthetic triphenylmethane dye, which is mainly used as a food dye under E 131.

Patent blue V is mainly used for colouring coloured drinks, sweets. Patent Blue V is also combined with tartrazine (E102) or quinoline yellow (E104) to form a green shade.

Patent blue is also often used for medical applications in the imaging of lymph gland tissue, e.g. in sentinel lymph node biopsy. In this procedure, anaphylactic reactions have been described, even at first application. The cause is unclear - possible previous sensitisation when ingested orally via food.

1. Aurich S et al (2016) A Case of Anaphylaxis to Patent Blue in a Patient with Sentinel Lymph Node Excision. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol 15:547-550.
2. Manson AL et al. (2012) Anaphylaxis to Patent Blue V: a case series. Asia Pac Allergy 2:86-89.
3. Wong A et al. (2014) Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand Incorporated (BreastSurgANZ). Patent Blue V dye anaphylaxis: experience of Australian and New Zealand surgeons. ANZ J Surgery 84(1-2):37-41.