Comparing E129 - Allura red vs E121 - Citrus Red 2

Select first additive

Select second additive

Overview

E129 - Allura red

Allura red (E129), also called FD&C Red No. 40, is a bright, water‑soluble synthetic dye that gives foods a red to orange‑red color. It is one of the most widely used food colors in the U.S. and Europe and appears in drinks, sweets, and many everyday packaged foods. Regulatory agencies allow it when used within rules that control purity and dose.

E121 - Citrus Red 2

Citrus Red 2 (E121) is a synthetic orange-red color used in the United States to dye the outer peel of some oranges. It is tightly regulated and may be applied only to the skin, not to the edible flesh or juice.

Synonyms

E129

Allura red

Allura red ac

Allura Red AC

FD&C Red 40

FD and C Red 40

Red 40

Red no40

Red no. 40

FD and C Red no. 40

Food Red 17

C.I. 16035

Red 40 lake

E121

Citrus Red 2

Functions

colour

Origins

Synthetic

Products

Found in 26,926 products

Found in 1 products

Search rank & volume

#9156.5K / mo🇺🇸U.S.

#349310 / mo🇺🇸U.S.

Awareness score

×0.85

normal

×8.38

over-aware

Search volume over time

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

Interest over time for 2 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).