E151 — Brilliant black BN
E151 (Brilliant black BN), a color, is rated "safe": no significant concern. A synthetic black dye in sweets, sauces, and fish roe. Generally well-tolerated but on the watchlist for occasional allergic reports and historical bans in some EU member states.
What is Brilliant black BN?
A synthetic deep-black dye, used in licorice, black puddings, some sauces, and fish roe products like lumpfish caviar. Common in the UK and northern Europe.
What does it do to the body?
Most people tolerate it without issue. Isolated reports of skin reactions and intestinal upset; people with multiple dye sensitivities are most likely to react. Mostly excreted unchanged.
What regulators say
EFSA cut the acceptable daily intake to 1 mg per kg of body weight per day in 2010. Not approved for food in the United States. Austria, Norway, Finland, and Sweden previously banned it before EU harmonisation.
Risk rating: Safe
Cleared by EFSA with no significant concern at typical dietary exposure. Common, well-studied, and not a reason to put a product back on the shelf.
Source: EFSA — re-evaluation of brilliant black BN (2010) ↗