E172III - Yellow iron oxide

At a glance

• Name: Yellow iron oxide (part of E172)
• What it does: Adds a yellow, opaque color
• Where you’ll see it: Mostly surface decorations, coatings, and dragees
• Label names: “E172,” “iron oxides,” “yellow iron oxide”
• Origin: Manufactured mineral pigment
• Regulation: Authorized in the EU within the E172 group; detailed specifications apply¹²

Why is Yellow iron oxide added to food?

Manufacturers use yellow iron oxide to give a solid, opaque yellow color that holds up well to heat and light. It is helpful in sugar coatings, bakery decorations, and other surfaces where a bright but non-transparent color is wanted.³

Within the EU, yellow iron oxide falls under the group E172 (iron oxides and hydroxides), which is authorized as a color additive subject to purity specifications and use conditions set in EU law.¹²

What foods contain Yellow iron oxide?

You are most likely to find yellow iron oxide in:

• Sugar-coated or panned confectionery and dragees
• Decorative coatings on fine bakery wares
• Certain food supplement tablets and capsules (coatings)

These uses reflect how E172 colors are authorized across categories in the EU; products must meet the Union list rules and purity specifications.³²

Related colors in the same group include black iron oxide and red iron oxide, and the group entry iron oxides and iron hydroxides.

What can replace Yellow iron oxide?

Alternatives depend on the shade and opacity you need:

• For yellow to orange tones: curcumin, riboflavin, or beta-carotene
• For neutral/white opacity: titanium dioxide has historically been used, though it is no longer authorized as a food additive in the EU⁴
• For dark or black effects: vegetable carbon

Each alternative has different stability, brightness, and regulatory status, so formulators choose based on the product and market.

How is Yellow iron oxide made?

Yellow iron oxide used in food is manufactured (not simply mined and ground). It is typically produced by precipitating iron salts and oxidizing them under controlled conditions to form iron(III) oxyhydroxide (often written as FeOOH), then washing, drying, and milling the pigment to a defined particle size. EU specifications set identity and purity criteria for E172 pigments, including limits on impurities and processing aids.¹⁵

Is Yellow iron oxide safe to eat?

EU experts have reviewed E172 iron oxides and hydroxides and concluded they are not a safety concern at the reported uses and levels. Absorption from the gut is low because these pigments are poorly soluble, and they do not significantly add to dietary iron intake.³ The EU also sets detailed purity specifications, including limits for certain heavy metals, to ensure product quality and safety.¹

Internationally, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) assigned iron oxides an “ADI not specified,” meaning no numerical acceptable daily intake was considered necessary under good manufacturing practice.⁵

Does Yellow iron oxide have any benefits?

Its main “benefit” is technical: it provides a reliable yellow color that stays stable during heating, storage, and exposure to light better than many natural dyes. It can help make products look consistent from batch to batch.

Who should avoid Yellow iron oxide?

Most people do not need to avoid yellow iron oxide. People with iron storage conditions (like hemochromatosis) generally do not need to worry about this pigment, because it is poorly absorbed and does not meaningfully add to iron intake from the diet.³ If your healthcare provider has advised you to limit specific additives, check the ingredient list for “E172” or “iron oxides.”

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Yellow iron oxide is just rust.” Fact: Rust is mainly red-brown iron oxides. Yellow iron oxide used in food is iron(III) oxyhydroxide made under controlled conditions and to strict purity specs.¹
• Myth: “It adds a lot of iron to your diet.” Fact: The pigment is poorly absorbed, so it does not significantly increase iron intake.³
• Myth: “All countries treat it the same.” Fact: Rules vary by region. In the EU, E172 is authorized with specifications and use conditions; always check local regulations.¹²

Yellow iron oxide in branded foods

On labels, look for “E172,” “iron oxides,” or “yellow iron oxide.” You’ll most often see it on coated or decorated items like dragees, sugar-coated candies, and some bakery or supplement coatings. If you want to avoid it, choose products without colored coatings or those using alternative colorings listed in the ingredients.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 — Specifications for food additives. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — Food additives (Union list framework). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. Re-evaluation of iron oxides and hydroxides (E 172) as food additives — EFSA Journal (2015). https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4317 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

4. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/63 — E171 (titanium dioxide) no longer authorized as a food additive. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/63/oj ↩

5. Iron oxides (INS 172) — JECFA specification, FAO. https://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/scientific-advice/jecfa/jecfa-additives/details/en/c/445/ ↩ ↩²