Colours

Adds or restores colour.

146 additives that at least one regulator lists as colours: 41 by Canada, 55 by European Union, 93 by United States and 51 by Codex Alimentarius. Each mark shows the term that regulator used; follow it for the citation.

A function is not a permission. Being listed here says what a regulator treats the additive as, not that it is permitted in any particular food or place — its own page shows that. Where a regulator leaves a cell empty, it has not assigned this function in the sources this site reads; it may assign another, or none.

The US column is the least complete. Only some US listings name their technical effect by citing 21 CFR 170.3(o); many, especially in part 172, describe their use in their own words, and this site does not read a function into that prose. An empty US cell says little.

AdditiveCAEUUSCodex
AlkanetFood colour———
Aluminium E173Food colourColours——
Aluminum sulfate E520——Color or coloring adjunct—
Amaranth E123Food colourColours—Colour
Annatto extractFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Annatto extracts, bixin-based E160b(i)—Colours—Colour
Annatto extracts, norbixin-based E160b(ii)—Colours—Colour
Antarctic krill meal——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Anthocyanins E163Food colourColoursColor or coloring adjunct—
Ascorbic acid E300——Color or coloring adjunct—
Astaxanthin——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Astaxanthin dimethyldisuccinate——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Azorubine (Carmoisine) E122—Colours—Colour
Beet red E162Food colourColours—Colour
Benzoyl peroxide INS 928——Color or coloring adjunct—
Beta -carotene E160aFood colourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
beta-Carotenes, Blakeslea trispora INS 160a(iii)—Colours—Colour
beta-Carotenes, synthetic INS 160a(i)———Colour
beta-Carotenes, vegetable INS 160a(ii)—Colours—Colour
Brilliant black (Black PN) E151—Colours—Colour
Brown HT E155—Colours—Colour
Butterfly pea flower extract——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Calcium acetate E263——Color or coloring adjunct—
Calcium carbonate E170Food colourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunctColour
Calcium disodium EDTA E385——Color or coloring adjunct—
Calcium phosphate E341——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Calcium sulfate E516——Colors and coloring adjunctsColour
Canthaxanthin E161gFood colourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunctColour
CaramelFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Caramel I – plain caramel E150a—Colours—Colour
Caramel II - sulfite caramel E150b—Colours—Colour
Caramel III - ammonia caramel E150c—ColoursColor or coloring adjunctColour
Caramel IV - sulfite ammonia caramel E150d—Colours—Colour
Carmines E120—ColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunctColour
Carotenal, beta-apo-8'- E160e—ColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunctColour
Carrot oil——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
CharcoalFood colour———
Chlorophyllin copper complexes, potassium and sodium salts INS 141(ii)—Colours—Colour
Chlorophylls E140Food colourColours—Colour
Chlorophylls, copper complexes INS 141(i)—Colours—Colour
Citrus Red No. 2Food colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 74); Color or coloring adjunct—
Cochineal extract; carmineFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins E141—Colours——
Corn endosperm oil——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Corn sugar——Color or coloring adjunct—
Curcumin E100—Colours—Colour
Dehydrated beets (beet powder)——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Dried algae meal——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Erythorbic acid E315——Color or coloring adjunct—
Ethyl acetate——Color or coloring adjunct—
Ethyl beta-apo-8'-carotenoateFood colour———
Ethyl maltol INS 637——Color or coloring adjunct—
FD&C Blue No. 1 E133Food colour; Food ColourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 74); Color additive (21 CFR part 82); Color or coloring adjunctColour
FD&C Blue No. 2 E132Food colour; Food ColourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 74); Color additive (21 CFR part 82); Color or coloring adjunctColour
FD&C Green No. 3 INS 143Food colour; Food Colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 74); Color additive (21 CFR part 82); Color or coloring adjunctColour
FD&C Red No. 3 E127Food colour; Food ColourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 74); Color or coloring adjunctColour
FD&C Red No. 4Food colour———
FD&C Red No. 40 E129Food colourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 74); Color or coloring adjunctColour
FD&C Yellow No. 5 E102Food colour; Food ColourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 74); Color additive (21 CFR part 82); Color or coloring adjunctColour
FD&C Yellow No. 6 E110Food colour; Food ColourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 74); Color additive (21 CFR part 82); Color or coloring adjunctColour
Ferrous gluconate E579——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Ferrous lactate E585——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Fruit juice——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Galdieria extract blue——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Gardenia (genipin) blue——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Gold E175Food colourColours——
Grape color extract——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Grape skin extract INS 163(ii)——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)Colour
Green S E142—Colours——
Ground limestoneFood colour———
Haematococcus algae meal——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Iron oxide, black INS 172(i)—Colours—Colour
Iron oxide, red INS 172(ii)—Colours—Colour
Iron oxide, yellow INS 172(iii)—Colours—Colour
Iron oxides and hydroxides E172Food colourColours——
Jagua (genipin-glycine) blue INS 183——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)Colour
Litholrubine BK E180—Colours——
Lutein esters from Tagetes erecta INS 161b(iii)—Colours—Colour
Lutein from Tagetes erecta E161b—Colours—Colour
Lycopene E160d—Colours——
Lycopene, Blakeslea trispora INS 160d(iii)—Colours—Colour
Lycopene, synthetic INS 160d(i)—Colours—Colour
Lycopene, tomato INS 160d(ii)—Colours—Colour
Magnesium chloride E511——Color or coloring adjunct—
Magnesium hydroxide E528——Color or coloring adjunct—
Malt syrup (malt extract)——Color or coloring adjunct—
Methylene chloride——Color or coloring adjunct—
Mica-based pearlescent pigmentsFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Myoglobin——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
OrchilFood colour———
PaprikaFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Paprika extract INS 160c(ii)—Colours—Colour
Paprika extract, capsanthin, capsorubin E160c—Colours——
Paprika oleoresin——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Paracoccus pigment——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Patent Blue V E131—Colours——
Phaffia yeast——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Polysorbate 80 E433——Color or coloring adjunct—
Ponceau 4R (Cochineal red A) E124—Colours—Colour
Potassium metabisulfite E224——Color or coloring adjunct—
Potassium nitrate E252——Color or coloring adjunct—
Potassium sorbate E202——Color or coloring adjunct—
Quinoline yellow E104—Colours—Colour
Riboflavin E101Food colourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii INS 101(iv)———Colour
Riboflavin from Bacillus subtilis INS 101(iii)———Colour
Riboflavin, synthetic INS 101(i)———Colour
Riboflavin-5′-phosphate (sodium) E101—Colours—Colour
SaffronFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
SaunderswoodFood colour———
Silicon dioxide E551——Color or coloring adjunct—
Silver E174Food colourColours——
Sodium acid pyrophosphate E450——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium ascorbate E301——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium benzoate E211——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium bisulfite E222——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium citrate INS 331(iii)——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium copper chlorophyllinFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium erythorbate (Sodium isoascorbate) E316——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium hydroxide E524——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium metabisulfite E223——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium nitrate E251——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium nitrite E250——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sodium sulfite E221——Color or coloring adjunct—
Sorbitol E420——Color or coloring adjunct—
Soy leghemoglobin——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Spirulina extractFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunctColour
Sulfur dioxide E220——Color or coloring adjunct—
Synthetic iron oxide——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Tagetes (Aztec marigold) meal and extract——Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
Tannic acid——Color or coloring adjunct—
Titanium dioxide E171Food colourColoursColor additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunctColour
Toasted partially defatted cooked cottonseed flour——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Tomato lycopene extract; tomato lycopene concentrateFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
TurmericFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Turmeric oleoresin——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Ultramarine blue——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Vegetable carbon E153Food colourColours——
Vegetable juice——Color additive (21 CFR part 73); Color or coloring adjunct—
Whey——Color or coloring adjunct—
Xanthan gum E415——Color or coloring adjunct—
XanthophyllFood colour———
Zeaxanthin, synthetic INS 161h(i)———Colour
Zinc oxide——Color or coloring adjunct—
β-Apo-8′-carotenalFood colour—Color additive (21 CFR part 73)—
β-Carotene-rich extract from Dunaliella Salina INS 160a(iv)—Colours—Colour