E132 - Indigotine

At a glance

• Indigotine is a synthetic blue colorant used to give foods a vivid blue or to adjust purple shades.
• You might see it listed as “FD&C Blue 2,” “Indigo Carmine,” or “E132.”
• It is approved for use in foods in the U.S. and the EU, with specifications and limits set by regulators.
• Common uses include candies, flavored drinks, ice pops, dessert mixes, and decorative icings.
• It is often blended with other colors, such as brilliant blue FCF, allura red, or tartrazine, to fine‑tune shades.

Why is Indigotine added to food?

Color helps signal flavor and freshness. Indigotine restores color lost during processing and creates appealing blue or purple tones in foods and drinks. It is valued because it gives a strong, consistent color and holds up better than many natural blues in light, heat, and over time.¹

What foods contain Indigotine?

You can find indigotine in:

• Candies, chewing gum, and coated confections
• Flavored beverages, sports and energy drinks, and drink mixes
• Ice pops, gel desserts, and dessert mixes
• Frostings, decorative sprinkles, and bakery icings
• Some processed snacks and cereal pieces

Manufacturers often mix it with other colors like allura red or tartrazine to achieve purples, teals, or dark blues.¹

What can replace Indigotine?

• Brilliant blue FCF (E133): a different synthetic blue with slightly different shade and performance.¹
• Plant-based options such as spirulina extract: gives a natural blue in some products but can be less stable to heat and light than synthetic colors.
• Anthocyanins (from fruits): may look red to purple in acidic foods and are less color-stable for a true blue.

The best substitute depends on product pH, processing, shelf life, and the exact shade needed.

How is Indigotine made?

Indigotine is made by sulfonating the indigo molecule and converting it to a sodium salt; the result is a water‑soluble blue dye that can be standardized and purified for food use.² In the United States, indigotine is a “certifiable” color additive, which means each manufactured batch must pass U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing for identity, purity, and safety before it can be sold for use in foods.³

Is Indigotine safe to eat?

Indigotine is permitted for use in foods by the FDA when used according to regulations.¹ In the European Union, it is an authorized food color with detailed identity and purity specifications and use rules in food law.²⁴ These authorizations reflect safety evaluations by regulators. As with all colors, it must meet strict limits on impurities and be used only at levels needed to achieve the intended effect.²

Does Indigotine have any benefits?

Indigotine does not provide nutrition. Its value is practical: it restores or adds color, helps products look consistent from batch to batch, and gives food developers a stable blue or purple hue that many natural options cannot reliably provide.¹

Who should avoid Indigotine?

• Anyone who has previously had a reaction to indigotine or to color additives in general should avoid it and seek medical advice.
• If you are following a medical or elimination diet that restricts artificial colors, check labels and choose products colored with alternatives such as fruit or vegetable extracts.
• People with specific concerns should discuss them with a healthcare professional, especially for children with color sensitivity.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Indigotine is banned in the EU.”
  Fact: It is authorized in the EU with specifications and use rules.⁴
• Myth: “All blue food colors are the same.”
  Fact: Indigotine (FD&C Blue 2) and brilliant blue FCF (FD&C Blue 1) are different color additives with different chemistries and regulatory listings.¹
• Myth: “All artificial colors require a hyperactivity warning in Europe.”
  Fact: The EU warning applies to a specific group of six colors and does not include E132 indigotine.⁴
• Myth: “Indigotine is a natural plant dye.”
  Fact: Food‑grade indigotine used today is produced by chemical synthesis and must meet strict identity and purity criteria.²

Indigotine in branded foods

Ingredient lists on packaged foods in the U.S. often show this color as “FD&C Blue 2” or “Blue 2,” and in the EU as “E132.” You may spot it on labels of:

• Blue or purple candies and chewing gum
• Flavored beverages and drink mixes
• Ice pops, gel desserts, and dessert mixes
• Bakery icings and decorative sprinkles

Availability varies by brand and country. Always check the ingredient list to confirm.

References

Footnotes

1. Color Additives Approved for Use in Foods — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives/color-additives-approved-use-food ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. Color Certification — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives/color-certification ↩

4. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (incl. labelling for certain colours) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333 ↩ ↩² ↩³