Reference Source

Food color additive cross-reference: US FD&C designation vs EU E-number, with regulatory status comparison

Cross-reference between US and EU food color additive systems. Each record is one color additive with its FD&C designation (US), E-number (EU), chemical/CI name, CAS number, US regulatory status (approved/banned, permitted uses by application category), EU regulatory status (permitted/banned, Group classification, maximum levels by food category), and key differences. Answers 'is Red 40 banned in Europe?' (no — E129, permitted with warning label), 'what is the EU maximum level of Allura Red in soft drinks?' (Group III combined 100 mg/L), 'which US food colors have no EU equivalent?' (FD&C Green No. 3), 'is titanium dioxide allowed in food in the EU?' (no — E171 banned Aug 2022), and 'what are the Southampton six dyes and what warning do they require?'

Records50
Sources2
Verified
Review by
LicenceUS federal regulations are government works, public domain. EU regulations as retained in UK law are published under Crown copyright with Open Government Licence. Facts (regulatory status, maximum levels) are not copyrightable in either jurisdiction.

The data

Color additive nameEU E-numberEU food use statusEU additive groupUS FD&C designationUS food use status
Allura red ACE 129Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
AluminiumE 173only external coating of sugar confectionery for the decoration of cakes and pastries
AmaranthE 123only wine-based aperitif
Ammonia caramelE 150cauthorised at quantum satisGroup II
Annatto bixinE 160b(i)only ripened orange, yellow and broken-white cheese and red and green pesto cheese
Annatto norbixinE 160b(ii)only ripened orange, yellow and broken-white cheese and red and green pesto cheese
AnthocyaninsE 163authorised at quantum satisGroup II
Azorubine, CarmoisineE 122Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Beetroot Red, betaninE 162authorised at quantum satisGroup II
Beta-apo-8′-carotenal (C 30)E 160eFood colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Brilliant Black PNE 151Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Brilliant Blue FCFE 133Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Brown HTE 155Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
calcium carbonateE 170authorised at quantum satisGroup II
CanthaxanthinE 161gnot authorised in the food categories listed in Part D and E
Carminic acid, CarmineE 120Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
CarotenesE 160aauthorised at quantum satisGroup II
Caustic sulphite caramelE 150bauthorised at quantum satisGroup II
Chlorophylls, ChlorophyllinsE 140authorised at quantum satisGroup II
Citrus Red No. 2Citrus Red No. 2shall be used only for coloring the skins of oranges that are not intended or used for processing
Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllinsE 141authorised at quantum satisGroup II
CurcuminE 100Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
ErythrosineE 127only cocktail cherries and candied cherries
FD&C Blue No. 1FD&C Blue No. 1may be safely used for coloring foods (including dietary supplements) generally in amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice
FD&C Blue No. 2FD&C Blue No. 2may be safely used for coloring foods (including dietary supplements) generally in amounts consistent with current good manufacturing practice
FD&C Green No. 3FD&C Green No. 3may be safely used for coloring foods (including dietary supplements) generally in amounts consistent with current good manufacturing practice
FD&C Red No. 3FD&C Red No. 3may be safely used for coloring foods generally (including dietary supplements) in amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice
FD&C Red No. 40FD&C Red No. 40may be safely used for coloring foods (including dietary supplements) generally in amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice
FD&C Yellow No. 5FD&C Yellow No. 5may be safely used for coloring foods (including dietary supplements) generally in amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice
FD&C Yellow No. 6FD&C Yellow No. 6may be safely used for coloring foods (including dietary supplements) generally in amounts consistent with current good manufacturing practice
GoldE 175only external coating of confectionery
Green SE 142Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Indigotine, Indigo carmineE 132Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Iron oxides and hydroxidesE 172authorised at quantum satisGroup II
Litholrubine BKE 180
LuteinE 161bFood colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
LycopeneE 160donly flavoured processed cheese
Orange BOrange Bmay be safely used for coloring the casings or surfaces of frankfurters and sausages subject to the restriction that the quantity of the color additive does not exceed 150 parts per million by weight of the finished food
Paprika extract, capsanthin, capsorubinE 160cauthorised at quantum satisGroup II
Patent Blue VE 131Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Plain caramelE 150aauthorised at quantum satisGroup II
Ponceau 4R, Cochineal Red AE 124only candied fruit and vegetables
Quinoline YellowE 104only candied fruit and vegetables
RiboflavinsE 101authorised at quantum satisGroup II
SilverE 174only external coating of confectionery
Sulphite ammonia caramelE 150dauthorised at quantum satisGroup II
Sunset Yellow FCF/Orange Yellow SE 110only candied fruit and vegetables
TartrazineE 102Food colours with combined maximum limitGroup III
Titanium dioxideE 171not authorised in the food categories listed in Part D and E
Vegetable carbonE 153authorised at quantum satisGroup II

Where this came from

Every record above links the page it was taken from and quotes the sentence that states it. These are the 2 sources this dataset was assembled from.

Machine-readable

50 records. last verified against source . due for re-check by .

Licence. US federal regulations are government works, public domain. EU regulations as retained in UK law are published under Crown copyright with Open Government Licence. Facts (regulatory status, maximum levels) are not copyrightable in either jurisdiction.