Food colourings to avoid
Food colours are the clearest example of why “additive” is not a useful verdict on its own. Of the 37 approved colours here, 16 are worth avoiding and 18 are perfectly fine. The line runs almost entirely between synthetic dyes and natural colours.
The ones worth avoiding are mostly synthetic azo dyes. Several are the “Southampton six” linked to hyperactivity in children, which is why foods containing them must carry a warning in the EU. One former colour, titanium dioxide (E171), was banned outright in 2022. Meanwhile most natural colours, from plants and minerals, rate as safe. Here is the full split.
Avoid · 16
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.
E102 — Tartrazine
A bright yellow synthetic dye in soft drinks, candy, and snacks. One of the six colours the EU forces to…
AvoidE104 — Quinoline yellowA greenish-yellow synthetic dye. EU labels must warn of possible effects on children's behavior. Not approved…
AvoidE110 — Sunset yellow FCFAn orange-yellow synthetic dye in candy, sodas, and cheese-flavoured snacks. Another of the six colours the…
AvoidE122 — AzorubineA red synthetic dye used in jams, candy, and drinks. EU labels must warn of possible effects on children's…
AvoidE123 — AmaranthA dark red synthetic dye. Banned for food use in the United States since 1976 and tightly restricted in the…
AvoidE124 — Ponceau 4RA bright red synthetic dye used in desserts and processed meats. EU labels must warn of possible effects on…
AvoidE126 — Ponceau 6RA synthetic red azo dye. Banned in the EU and the US — the EU withdrew it, and the FDA has never permitted it…
AvoidE127 — ErythrosineA cherry-red synthetic dye. The FDA revoked its food authorization in January 2025 after cancer findings in…
AvoidE129 — Allura red ACThe bright red synthetic dye sold as Red 40 in the US. One of the six colours the EU makes carry a children's…
AvoidE131 — Patent blue VA synthetic blue dye used in confectionery and Scotch eggs. Rare but documented anaphylaxis reports, mostly…
AvoidE132 — IndigotineA synthetic blue dye in ice cream, candy, and baked goods. It does not carry the EU children's warning, and…
AvoidE133 — Brilliant blue FCFA vivid blue synthetic dye in candy, drinks, and ice cream. It carries no EU children's warning and the…
AvoidE143 — Green 3A synthetic green dye (Fast Green FCF). Banned in the EU; still permitted in the US, though the FDA moved to…
AvoidE150c — Ammonia caramelCaramel color processed with ammonia. Contains 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI, a possible animal carcinogen). Found…
AvoidE150d — Sulphite ammonia caramelThe caramel color used in colas and dark sodas. Contains 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI, a possible animal…
AvoidE171 — Titanium dioxideA bright white food coloring. The EU banned it as a food additive in 2022 after EFSA concluded it could…
AvoidWatch · 3
Mixed evidence or a specific concern (gut, allergy, or contested safety data). Not alarming, but worth keeping an eye on rather than eating without limit.
E150 — Caramel colour
Caramel colouring, declared without saying WHICH of the four types. Plain caramel (E150a) is simply burnt…
WatchE160b — AnnattoA natural orange-red color from achiote tree seeds. Used to color cheese, butter, and snacks. Causes…
WatchE170 — Calcium carbonateGround limestone or chalk. Used as a white color, mineral source, and antacid. Same compound as a calcium…
WatchSafe · 18
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.
E100 — Curcumin
The yellow pigment from turmeric root. Used to color mustard, curries, cheese rinds, butter, and soft drinks.…
SafeE101 — RiboflavinVitamin B2, used to give foods a yellow-orange color. The same molecule your body needs from diet, so there…
SafeE120 — CochinealA natural red dye made from crushed cochineal insects. Rare but real allergic reactions, including occasional…
SafeE140 — ChlorophyllThe green pigment that makes plants green. Extracted from alfalfa, nettles, and other leaves to color sweets,…
SafeE141 — Copper chlorophyllinChlorophyll with copper added to make the green more stable in processed foods. The copper stays bound in the…
SafeE150a — Plain caramelTraditional caramel color made by heating sugar with no ammonia or sulphite. The safest of the four…
SafeE150b — Caustic sulphite caramelCaramel color processed with sulphite. Generally safe, but a watchlist for the small fraction of people with…
SafeE151 — Brilliant black BNA synthetic black dye in sweets, sauces, and fish roe. Generally well-tolerated but on the watchlist for…
SafeE153 — Vegetable carbonActivated charcoal made from plant material. Used to color liquorice, cheese rinds, and black ice cream or…
SafeE160a — Beta-caroteneThe orange pigment in carrots and pumpkins. Your body converts it to vitamin A as needed. Used to color…
SafeE160c — Paprika extractThe red-orange color from paprika peppers. Used to color sausages, sauces, snacks, and dairy. Essentially the…
SafeE160d — LycopeneThe red pigment from tomatoes and watermelon. Has antioxidant activity. Used to color sauces, drinks, and…
SafeE160e — Beta-apo-8'-carotenalA synthetic carotenoid closely related to beta-carotene. Gives an orange-red color in sauces, soups, and some…
SafeE160f — Ethyl ester of beta-apo-8'-carotenoic acidA synthetic carotenoid ester used as an orange color in fats and oils. EFSA-cleared; rarely used…
SafeE161b — LuteinA yellow plant pigment extracted from marigold flowers or alfalfa. Also a nutrient linked to eye health. Used…
SafeE162 — Beetroot redThe deep red-purple pigment from beetroot. Used to color yogurts, ice cream, sweets, and dressings. The same…
SafeE163 — AnthocyaninsThe purple-red pigments from grapes, blueberries, and red cabbage. Strong natural antioxidants. Used in soft…
SafeE172 — Iron oxidesMineral pigments in red, yellow, and black. Used to color olive paste, breakfast cereals, and some pet foods.…
SafeFrequently asked questions
Which food colourings should you avoid?
Of the 37 colours we track, 16 are rated avoid, and they are mostly the synthetic dyes: Tartrazine, Quinoline yellow, Sunset yellow FCF, Azorubine and others. Several of these are the "Southampton" colours linked to hyperactivity in children, which is why products containing them carry a warning in the EU.
Are food colourings safe?
It splits sharply by type. Many natural colours rate as safe (18 of the 37 here), such as those derived from plants and minerals. The synthetic azo dyes are where most of the concern sits. So "food colouring" covers both the harmless and the worth-avoiding.
What food dyes are banned in the EU?
Titanium dioxide (E171), long used as a white colour, was banned as a food additive in the EU in 2022 after EFSA concluded it could no longer be considered safe, citing genotoxicity concerns. Several dyes that remain legal still carry a mandatory hyperactivity warning label.
Are natural food colours better?
Generally yes, on this evidence. Most of the safe-rated colours here are natural (plant or mineral derived), while most of the avoid-rated ones are synthetic azo dyes. It is not a hard rule, but the pattern is real, so a naturally coloured product is usually the safer bet on this dimension.