E125 - Scarlet GN

At a glance

• What it is: a bright, water‑soluble synthetic azo dye also known as C.I. Food Red 1, Ponceau SX, FD&C Red No. 4, and C.I. 14700.
• Current status: not approved for use in foods in the United States; not on the European Union’s Union list of permitted food additives.
• Typical role: provides a vivid cherry‑to‑scarlet red hue; historically used in beverages, candies, and desserts.
• On labels: may appear as “Scarlet GN,” “Ponceau SX,” “C.I. 14700,” or “FD&C Red No. 4” where permitted.
• Common substitutes: Allura Red, Ponceau 4R, cochineal, beetroot red, anthocyanins, paprika extract, and lycopene.

Why is Scarlet GN added to food?

Color is important for how we judge freshness and flavor, and Scarlet GN was used to give foods a consistent, bright red shade. As a synthetic dye, it dissolves well in water and can produce intense color at low concentrations. However, because it is not currently authorized for food use in several major regions, manufacturers there rely on other red colorants instead.¹²

What foods contain Scarlet GN?

In the United States, FD&C Red No. 4 (Scarlet GN) is not approved for foods, so it should not appear in food ingredient lists. It is permitted only in certain external drug and cosmetic applications and is listed accordingly by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).¹
In the European Union, E125 (Scarlet GN) is not included in the Union list of permitted food additives, which means it is not authorized for use in foods placed on the EU market.²

What can replace Scarlet GN?

Manufacturers choose alternatives based on the product, desired hue, and labeling goals:

• Synthetic reds: Allura Red (E129) and Ponceau 4R (E124) provide strong, stable reds in many foods.
• Coloring foods and natural extracts: beetroot red (E162) for a bluish‑red tone, anthocyanins (E163) for berry‑like hues, paprika extract (E160c) for orange‑red, and lycopene (E160d) for tomato‑red shades.
• Animal‑derived red: cochineal (E120), also called carmine, for a vivid, heat‑stable red (not suitable for vegan or certain dietary needs).

How is Scarlet GN made?

Scarlet GN is a synthetic azo dye, a class made by coupling a diazotized aromatic amine with another aromatic compound to form an “azo” bond (–N=N–). The dye is typically sulfonated to improve water solubility and used as its sodium salt in applications where it is permitted.³

Is Scarlet GN safe to eat?

Food safety rules depend on whether an additive is authorized for specific uses. In the United States, the FDA does not approve Scarlet GN (FD&C Red No. 4) for use in foods; it appears only on lists for certain external drug and cosmetic uses, not for ingestion.¹ In the European Union, E125 is not part of the Union list of permitted food additives, so it is not authorized in EU foods.²

Does Scarlet GN have any benefits?

Beyond its coloring function, Scarlet GN does not provide nutrition or preservation benefits. Its value is purely visual—helping standardize red color in products—which is why other approved reds are used instead where color is needed.

Who should avoid Scarlet GN?

• U.S. and EU consumers generally won’t see Scarlet GN in foods because it isn’t authorized for that use in those markets.¹²
• If you are traveling or purchasing imported products from regions with different rules, check labels for “Scarlet GN,” “Ponceau SX,” “C.I. 14700,” or “FD&C Red No. 4,” especially if you prefer to avoid synthetic azo dyes.

Myths & facts

• “It has an E‑number, so it must be allowed in the EU.” An E‑number identifies a substance in the EU system, but not all numbered substances are currently authorized; E125 is not on today’s permitted list.²
• “Scarlet GN is the same as Allura Red.” They are different dyes. Allura Red is E129 and is widely used; Scarlet GN is E125 and is not authorized for food use in the EU and not approved for foods in the U.S.¹²

Scarlet GN in branded foods

Because of regulatory restrictions, major brands in the U.S. and EU do not use Scarlet GN in foods. In places where it is still permitted, it may appear on ingredient lists under names such as “Scarlet GN,” “Ponceau SX,” “C.I. 14700,” or “FD&C Red No. 4.” Always check local labeling.

References

Footnotes

1. Color Additive Status List — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additive-inventories/color-additive-status-list ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

3. C.I. 14700 (Scarlet GN, FD&C Red No. 4) — PubChem, National Institutes of Health. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/14700 ↩