Citrus Red No. 2

Citrus Red No. 2 is a synthetic dye with one permitted use in the United States and no equivalent elsewhere: colouring the skin of oranges that are not intended for processing. It may not be used on the fruit itself or in any other food.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Citrus Red No. 2 by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationPermitted, with conditions

Subject to batch certification by FDA.

21 CFR 74.302retrieved 2026-09-07
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFANot listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.

What it is made from

A synthetic azo dye made from petroleum-derived aromatic intermediates. Its restriction to peel reflects that the peel of such oranges is not expected to be eaten.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
InChIKey
GJUABKCEXOMRPQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
PubChem
CID 22830

Every name it appears under

34 recorded names. A label may use any of them.

CAS registry number

  • 6358-53-8

As it appears in regulation

  • Citrus Red No. 2

Other names

  • 1-((2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)azo)-2-naphthalenol
  • 1-((2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)diazenyl)naphthalen-2-ol
  • 1-(1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)azo)-2-naphthol
  • 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenylazo)-2-naphthol
  • 1-(2,5-Dimethyloxyphenylazo)-2-naphthol
  • 1-(2-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)diazenyl)-2-Naphthalenol
  • 1-[(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenol, 9CI
  • 1-[(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)azo]-2-naphthol
  • 1-[(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)diazenyl]-2-naphthol #
  • 1-[(E)-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)diazenyl]-2-naphthol
  • 2,5-Dimethoxy-1-(phenylazo)-2-naphthol
  • 2,5-Dimethoxy-1-phenylazo-2-naphthol
  • 2,5-Dimethoxybenzeneazo-.beta.-naphthol
  • 2,5-Dimethoxybenzeneazo-beta-naphthol
  • 2-Naphthalenol, 1-(2-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)diazenyl)-
  • 2-Naphthalenol, 1-[(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)azo]-
  • 2-Naphthol, 1-((2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)azo)-
  • 2-Naphthol, 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenylazo)-
  • BRN 4510811
  • C.I. Solvent Red 80
  • C.I. Solvent red 80 (8CI)
  • CCRIS 1875
  • Cerven rozpoustedlova 80
  • CI Solvent Red 80
  • Citrus Red
  • CITRUS RED 2
  • Citrus Red 2, analytical standard
  • Citrus Red No. 2
  • GJUABKCEXOMRPQ-FMQUCBEESA-N
  • GJUABKCEXOMRPQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • HSDB 2948
  • Solvent red 80

Hazard reference values

No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.

Evidence and how bodies read it

Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.

Sources for this page

  • ecfr retrieved 2026-09-07

Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/citrus-red-no-2.json