E102 - Tartrazine

At a glance

• What it is: a synthetic lemon-yellow azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 5) used as a colour additive.
• Where it’s used: soft drinks, candies, bakery items, gelatins, sauces, seasonings, and some over-the-counter medicines and cosmetics.
• Regulatory status: approved in the U.S. and EU with purity specs and labeling rules; the EU requires an additional warning statement on certain products.
• Sensitivities: a small number of people may experience allergic-type reactions such as hives.
• Intake: health authorities have set an acceptable daily intake (ADI), and typical consumer exposures are generally below it.

Why is Tartrazine added to food?

Tartrazine gives or restores a bright yellow color that signals flavors like lemon, banana, pineapple, or cheese. It helps products look uniform from batch to batch, especially when natural colors vary or fade during processing. It can also be blended with other colors—such as brilliant blue FCF to make green or sunset yellow FCF to deepen orange tones.

What foods contain Tartrazine?

You’ll most often find Tartrazine in:

• Lemon-lime and citrus-flavored soft drinks and sports drinks
• Gummies, hard candies, frostings, and gelatins
• Cake mixes, puddings, instant desserts, and breakfast cereals
• Savory items like flavored chips, noodles seasonings, and sauces
• Some vitamins, lozenges, and over-the-counter medicines

In the United States, when Tartrazine is used in food, its specific name—“FD&C Yellow No. 5” or “Yellow 5”—must appear in the ingredient list.¹

What can replace Tartrazine?

Formulators sometimes choose other yellows and oranges, depending on cost, shade, and stability needs:

• Natural colorants: curcumin, beta-carotene, annatto, paprika extract, saffron, or riboflavin
• Caramels for brownish-yellow tones: caramel
• Other synthetics to fine-tune shade: quinoline yellow, sunset yellow FCF, or allura red in blends

Each alternative has trade-offs in brightness, light/heat stability, solubility, and labeling.

How is Tartrazine made?

Tartrazine is manufactured by classic azo-dye chemistry: sulfonated aromatic amines are diazotized and then coupled to a pyrazolone ring to form the yellow azo compound, which is isolated as a sodium salt. Food-grade material must meet identity and purity specifications (including limits on by-products and heavy metals) set by international authorities.²

Is Tartrazine safe to eat?

• United States: FD&C Yellow No. 5 is a certified color additive permitted for use in foods, drugs, and cosmetics in amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice.³ FDA also requires that its specific name appear on food labels and highlights that a small number of people may have allergic-type reactions.⁴
• European Union: EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) evaluated Tartrazine and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–7.5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, concluding it is not genotoxic at permitted levels.⁵

Does Tartrazine have any benefits?

Tartrazine does not add nutrition, but it improves and standardizes the appearance of foods. A stable and predictable yellow color helps consumers identify flavors and ensures products look the same across seasons and batches.

Who should avoid Tartrazine?

• People who have experienced allergic-type reactions (such as hives) to Yellow 5 should avoid it and discuss with a healthcare professional.⁴
• In the EU, foods containing Tartrazine must carry the statement “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children” when certain azo dyes are present; parents who are concerned may choose products without these colors.⁶

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Tartrazine is banned in the U.S.” Fact: It is permitted as FD&C Yellow No. 5 with strict certification and labeling rules.³
• Myth: “Yellow 5 always causes hyperactivity.” Fact: The EU requires a cautionary label for some azo dyes, but EFSA set an ADI and found no clear evidence of a general effect at permitted intakes.⁵⁶
• Myth: “Natural yellow colors are always better.” Fact: Natural options can work well, but they differ in stability, shade, and cost; suitability depends on the specific food and process.

Tartrazine in branded foods

On labels, look for “FD&C Yellow No. 5,” “Yellow 5,” “Tartrazine,” or “E102.” You’ll commonly spot it in lemon-lime sodas, powdered drink mixes, gelatin desserts, colorful cereals, frosting and icing mixes, and cheese- or lemon-flavored snacks and seasonings. Many brands also offer versions colored with plant-based alternatives if you prefer to avoid synthetic dyes.

References

Footnotes

1. 21 CFR 101.22(k)(1) — U.S. FDA, Food Labeling; Declaration of certified color additives. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-101/section-101.22 ↩

2. Tartrazine (specifications and manufacturing) — WHO/FAO JECFA Database. https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/chemical.aspx?chemID=2761 ↩

3. 21 CFR 74.705 — U.S. FDA, Listing of color additives subject to certification; FD&C Yellow No. 5. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-74/section-74.705 ↩ ↩²

4. Color Additives: Questions and Answers — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives/color-additives-questions-and-answers ↩ ↩²

5. Re-evaluation of Tartrazine (E 102) — EFSA Journal 2009;7(11):1331. https://efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1331 ↩ ↩²

6. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (labelling of certain colours) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩ ↩²