E104 — Quinoline yellow
E104 (Quinoline yellow), a color, is rated "avoid": worth avoiding. A greenish-yellow synthetic dye. EU labels must warn of possible effects on children's behavior. Not approved for food in the US.
What is Quinoline yellow?
A greenish-yellow synthetic dye used in fizzy drinks, smoked fish, and some confectionery. Mostly found in European products; not authorised for food use in the United States.
What does it do to the body?
One of the dyes in the Southampton study linking artificial colorings to hyperactivity in children. Some sensitive people also report skin reactions. Easy to avoid since natural alternatives like turmeric exist.
What regulators say
EU labels must carry the "may affect activity and attention in children" warning. EFSA lowered the acceptable daily intake from 10 to 0.5 mg per kg of body weight per day in 2009 after reviewing new reproductive toxicity data. The FDA does not permit it in food.
Risk rating: Avoid
Known or suspected to cause harm: a substance EFSA or another regulator has flagged, or one restricted in some jurisdictions. Best kept out of a regular diet.
Source: EU Regulation 1333/2008 ↗