To return to the list of types click here
E Numbers 100 to 199 - Food Colours
| E-Number | Name | Origin | Origin(Other) |
| E100 (i) | Curcumin | Natural colour isolated from the roots and stem of Yellowroot (Curcuma longa and Curcuma domestica). Turmeric is the crude extract, whereas curcumin is the purified compound. It imparts the yellow colour to curry powder. | |
| E100 (ii) | Tumeric | Natural colour isolated from the roots and stem of Yellowroot (Curcuma longa and Curcuma domestica). Turmeric is the crude extract, whereas curcumin is the purified compound. It imparts the yellow colour to curry powder. | |
| E101 (i) | Riboflavin | Natural colour present in many foods such as milk, eggs, liver and vegetables. Commercially prepared from yeasts. It is also manufactured synthetically. | Yellow food colour. It can be isolated from milk, but commercially produced from micro-organisms. Isolation from milk is too expensive |
| E101 (ii) | Riboflavin- 5-Sodium Phosphate (E106) | Natural colour present in many foods such as milk, eggs, liver and vegetables. Commercially prepared from yeasts. It is also manufactured synthetically. | Yellow food colour. It can be isolated from milk, but commercially produced from micro-organisms. Isolation from milk is too expensive |
| E102 | Tartrazine | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E104 | Quinoline Yellow | Synthetic non-azo dye | |
| E106 | E101 | Another Name For E101 | Yellow food colour. It can be isolated from milk, but commercially produced from micro-organisms. Isolation from milk is too expensive |
| E107 | Yellow 2G | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E110 | Sunset Yellow | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E120 (i) | Carmine | Natural red food colour isolated from the insects Dactylopius coccus, living on different species of succulents. E120(i) is the pure colour, whereas E120(ii) is the crude extract | |
| E120 (ii) | Cochineal Extract | Natural red food colour isolated from the insects Dactylopius coccus, living on different species of succulents. E120(i) is the pure colour, whereas E120(ii) is the crude extract | |
| E122 | Azurobine | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E123 | Amaranth | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E124 | Ponceau 4R | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E127 | Erythrosine | Synthetic iodine-containing red dye | |
| E128 | Red 2G | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E129 | Allura Red | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E131 | Patent Blue V | Synthetic blue colour | |
| E132 | Indigotine | Blue colour, naturally present in the shrub Indigofera tinctoria , though commercially it is produced synthetically | |
| E133 | Brilliant Blue FCF | Synthetic blue colour | |
| E140 | Chlorophyll | Natural green colour, present in all plants and algae. Commercially extracted from nettles, grass and alfalfa | |
| E141 (i) | Copper phaeophytin | Synthetic copper complex of chlorophyll (E140), a natural green colour, which is present in all plants and algae. E141 is commercially extracted from nettles, grass and alfalfa. Due to chemical de-esterification of chlorophyll, phaeophytins are formed | |
| E141 (ii) | Sodium or potassium salts of copper complexes of chlorophyllin | Synthetic copper complex of chlorophyll (E140), a natural green colour, which is present in all plants and algae. E141 is commercially extracted from nettles, grass and alfalfa. Due to chemical de-esterification of chlorophyll, phaeophytins are formed | |
| E142 | Brilliant Green BS | Synthetic green colour | |
| E150A | Alkaline caramel, Class I caramel | Complex brown colour mixtures, made by dry heating and burning of sugars in the presence of alkali, ammonia, sulphite or combinations thereof | |
| E150B | Alkali-sulphite caramel, Class II caramel | Complex brown colour mixtures, made by dry heating and burning of sugars in the presence of alkali, ammonia, sulphite or combinations thereof | |
| E150C | Ammonia caramel, Class III caramel | Complex brown colour mixtures, made by dry heating and burning of sugars in the presence of alkali, ammonia, sulphite or combinations thereof | |
| E150D | Sulphite-ammonia caramel, Class IV caramel | Complex brown colour mixtures, made by dry heating and burning of sugars in the presence of alkali, ammonia, sulphite or combinations thereof | |
| E151 | Brilliant Black BN | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E153 | Carbon Black | Natural element, produced by burning vegetable matter | Prepared from charcoal from burned wood. Can be obtained from burned animals, but this is no longer done |
| E154 | Brown FK | Mixture of synthetic azo dyes | |
| E155 | Brown HT | Synthetic azo dye | |
| E160A (i) | carotenes (mixture) | Natural colour isolated from several plants; however, it is obtained commercially from carrots. Carotenes occur as isomers, consisting of a series of chemically identical, but sterically different components. The actual composition differs between the plant species | |
| E160A (ii) | ß-carotene | Natural colour isolated from several plants; however, it is obtained commercially from carrots. Carotenes occur as isomers, consisting of a series of chemically identical, but sterically different components. The actual composition differs between the plant species | |
| E160B | Annatto, Bixin, Norbixin | Natural colour isolated from the seeds of the annatto tree (Bixa orellana ). Annatto is the name of the crude extract, whereas bixin is the fat-soluble colour and norbixin the water-soluble colour | |
| E160C | Capsicum (Bell Pepper) Extract | Natural colour isolated from the bell pepper, Capsicum annuum . This mixture mainly contains capsacain and capsorubin | |
| E160D | Lycopene | Natural colour, present in many yellow and red plants and fruits. Commercially isolated from tomatoes | |
| E160E | B-Apo-8'-Carotenal | Natural colour, present in many plants. It is made commercially from carotene or isolated from plants | |
| E160F | Ethyl-B-Apo-8'-Carotenate (Ethyl Ester of B-Apo-8'-Carotenic Acid) | Natural colour, present in many plants. It is made commercially from E160e or isolated from plants | |
| E161A | Flavoxanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants. Commercially prepared from buttercup (Ranunculus sp. ) | |
| E161B | Lutein | Natural colour, present in many plants. Commercially prepared from grass, nettles or Tagetes species | Lutein is also found in egg yolks, animal fats and the corpus luteum |
| E161C | Cryptoxanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants. Commercially prepared from Physalis species | |
| E161D | Rubixanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants. Commercially prepared from Rosa (rose) species | |
| E161E | Violoxanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants. Commercially prepared from Viola species | |
| E161F | Rhodoxanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants and birds. Commercially prepared from different plant species | Colour prepared from mushrooms or synthetically from carotene. Historically it was also prepared from shrimp waste or flaming feathers. Synthetic cantaxanthin is cheaper and has higher purity |
| E161G | Canthaxanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants and birds. Commercially prepared from catharelles (mushroom) or flamingo feathers. However, it is mainly produced synthetically from carotene | Colour prepared from mushrooms or synthetically from carotene. Historically it was also prepared from shrimp waste or flaming feathers. Synthetic cantaxanthin is cheaper and has higher purity |
| E161H | Citranaxanthin | Natural colour, present in many plants. Commercially prepared from several dried plants species | |
| E162 | Beetroot extract | Natural colour commercially prepared from beetroot | |
| E163A | cyanidin | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163B | delphinidin | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163C | malvidin | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163D | pelargonidin | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163E | peonidin | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163F | petunidin | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163 (i) | grape peel extract | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163 (ii) | anthocyan mixture | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E163 (iii) | black current extract | Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are a large group of natural colours. The colour of most fruits, flowers and berries is made up from a combination of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Anthocyanins always contain a carbohydrate molecule, whereas anthocyanidins lack this molecule. The individual compounds are isolated from different plant species. E163(i)-(iii) are mixtures | |
| E170 (i) | calcium carbonate | Natural white mineral | |
| E170 (ii) | calcium hydrogen carbonate (CI 77220) | Natural white mineral | |
| E171 | Titanium Dioxide | Natural white mineral | |
| E172 (i) | black iron oxide,CI 77499 | Natural minerals, but commercially made from iron powder | |
| E172 (ii) | red iron oxide, CI 77491 | Natural minerals, but commercially made from iron powder | |
| E172 (iii) | yellow iron oxide, CI 77492 | Natural minerals, but commercially made from iron powder | |
| E173 | Alluminium | Natural metal | |
| E174 | Silver | Natural metal | |
| E175 | Gold | Natural metal | |
| E180 | Lithol Rubin BK | Synthetic azo-colour, contains aluminium and calcium ions | |
| 181 | Tannins | Natural mixture with complex composition. Commercially prepared from acorns or prepared synthetically |
