Comparing E102 - Tartrazine vs E111 - Orange GGN

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Overview

E102 - Tartrazine

Tartrazine (E102) is a bright lemon-yellow color used in many foods and drinks, as well as some medicines and cosmetics. Also known as FD&C Yellow No. 5 or Yellow 5, it provides a consistent yellow hue when natural color would be dull or lost during processing.

E111 - Orange GGN

Orange GGN (E111) is a synthetic orange food dye that was used historically to color foods and drinks. It is not currently authorized for use in foods in the European Union or the United States, so you should not see it on ingredient lists in those regions.[^1][^2]

Synonyms

E102

Tartrazine

Yellow 5

Yellow number 5

Yellow no 5

Yellow no5

FD&C Yellow 5

FD&C Yellow no 5

FD&C Yellow no5

FD and C Yellow no. 5

FD and C Yellow 5

Yellow 5 lake

E111

Orange GGN

Alpha-naphthol

Alpha-naphtol

alpha-naphthol orange

Functions

colour

Origins

Synthetic

Products

Found in 23,316 products

Found in 4 products

Search rank & volume

#7732.7K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

#338380 / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

×0.20

under-aware

×6.73

over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 12 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions

Is yellow 5 bad for you?
At permitted food-use levels, tartrazine (FD&C Yellow 5) is considered safe by regulators (ADI up to 7.5 mg/kg body weight/day). A small number of people—especially those with aspirin sensitivity—may have hives or asthma-like reactions, and the EU requires a label about possible effects on activity and attention in children.
What is yellow 5 made of?
It is a synthetic azo dye: the trisodium salt of a sulfonated aromatic azo compound based on a pyrazolone ring (C.I. 19140). It is produced from petroleum-derived intermediates such as sulfonated anilines and a pyrazolone derivative.
Is yellow 5 bad?
For most consumers, no—it's approved and considered safe at typical dietary intakes. Rare hypersensitivity reactions can occur, and some children may be susceptible to small, reversible effects on behavior.
What does yellow 5 do to your body?
It primarily provides color and is largely excreted, with a small portion metabolized by gut bacteria before elimination. In sensitive individuals it can trigger hives or wheezing, and some children may experience mild, short-lived effects on activity or attention.
How is yellow 5 made?
Industrially, sulfanilic acid (or similar sulfonated anilines) is diazotized and azo-coupled to a pyrazolone derivative, then neutralized to form the trisodium salt. Lake forms are made by precipitating the dye onto an insoluble substrate such as aluminum hydroxide.