Comparing E129 - Allura red vs E102 - Tartrazine
Overview
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Found in 26,926 products
Found in 23,316 products
Search rank & volume
Awareness score
Search volume over time
Interest over time for 12 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 12 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
Why is red 40 bad?
Concerns focus on it being a synthetic azo dye and on studies suggesting small effects on attention and activity in some children (the EU requires a behavior warning label for E129). It may also trigger rare hypersensitivity reactions, though regulators (FDA, EFSA, JECFA) consider it safe at approved levels.
Why is red 40 banned?
It isn’t broadly banned—FD&C Red No. 40 is allowed in the U.S. and EU (with an EU warning about possible effects on children’s behavior). Some jurisdictions, schools, or brands choose to avoid it, but that’s a policy choice rather than a general prohibition.
What is red 40 made of?
Allura Red AC is a synthetic azo dye produced from petroleum‑derived aromatic compounds, typically used as its water‑soluble sodium salt (also available as calcium/potassium salts or aluminum lakes).
What does red 40 do to your body?
Most ingested Red 40 is not absorbed and is excreted; some is broken down by gut bacteria to aromatic amines. In sensitive individuals it can cause intolerance-like reactions, and some children may experience small, reversible changes in activity/attention; within the ADI (~7 mg/kg body weight/day) it’s considered safe by major regulators.
What is red dye 40 made of?
It’s a synthetic azo dye made from petroleum‑derived aromatic compounds, usually supplied as the water‑soluble sodium salt (and sometimes as calcium/potassium salts or aluminum lakes).
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.