E131 — Patent blue V
E131 (Patent blue V), a color, is rated "avoid": worth avoiding. A synthetic blue dye used in confectionery and Scotch eggs. Rare but documented anaphylaxis reports, mostly from medical dye use rather than food.
What is Patent blue V?
A deep blue synthetic dye used in candy, ice cream, sugar confectionery, and some savory items like Scotch eggs. Also injected as a medical contrast dye, which is where most allergy reports come from.
What does it do to the body?
Most food-level exposure is uneventful. A small fraction of people have a true allergy and can develop hives or, very rarely, anaphylaxis; this is far more common with injected medical use than dietary use.
What regulators say
EFSA cut the acceptable daily intake to 5 mg per kg of body weight per day in 2013. Not approved for food in the United States. Australia and Japan also restrict it.
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: EFSA — re-evaluation of patent blue V (2013) ↗