E154 - Brown FK

At a glance

• Also called E154 and Kipper Brown
• Function: color additive (brown hue)
• Typical past use: surface coloring of smoked fish such as kippers
• Chemical nature: a synthetic mixture of azo dyes (not a single compound)
• Vegan and vegetarian: yes, it is not animal-derived
• Label names: “Brown FK,” “E154,” or “Kipper Brown”
• Availability: not widely authorized today; check local rules

Why is Brown FK added to food?

Brown FK was used to give foods a uniform brown color that looks like traditional smoking or roasting. In Europe, it was historically permitted in narrowly defined uses such as certain smoked fish products, where it helped standardize the surface color of items like kippers.¹

What foods contain Brown FK?

You are most likely to see Brown FK mentioned in historical references to smoked fish, especially kippers (smoked herring). Its use was restricted to specific categories in earlier European rules, and it is uncommon in modern products.¹

What can replace Brown FK?

Food makers can achieve brown shades with several alternatives:

• Caramel colors: plain caramel, caustic sulphite caramel, ammonia caramel, and sulphite ammonia caramel
• Natural orange-brown tones in some recipes: paprika extract or annatto when suitable for the food
• Very dark tones: vegetable carbon where allowed

The best substitute depends on flavor neutrality, labeling goals (natural vs. artificial), and heat/light stability.

How is Brown FK made?

Brown FK is not a single chemical. It is a manufactured blend of sulfonated azo dyes (sodium salts) produced through standard color chemistry steps such as diazotization and coupling, followed by blending to achieve a brown shade. Earlier European specifications described its identity as a mixture and set purity criteria for the color blend.²

Is Brown FK safe to eat?

Safety and authorization depend on jurisdiction:

• European Union (EU): The EU’s current legal framework lists only additives with established specifications. Brown FK does not have specifications in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012, which sets specifications for authorized additives; as such, it is not part of the Union list for use in EU foods.³
• United States: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits only color additives listed in its regulations. Brown FK does not appear among approved U.S. color additives on FDA’s Color Additive Status List.⁴

Does Brown FK have any benefits?

The benefit is cosmetic: it provides a consistent brown color that may signal roasting or smoking. It does not add nutritional value.

Who should avoid Brown FK?

If you choose to avoid artificial colors, or if your local regulations do not authorize Brown FK, you should avoid products that list “Brown FK,” “E154,” or “Kipper Brown” on the label. Because it is not widely authorized today, it is rarely encountered in everyday shopping.

Myths & facts

• Myth: Brown FK is a natural dye because it appears on smoked fish. Fact: It is a synthetic mixture of azo dyes, not a natural extract.²
• Myth: Brown FK is approved everywhere. Fact: Authorization varies; it is not included in the EU’s current specifications and is not approved in the U.S.³⁴

Brown FK in branded foods

You are unlikely to find Brown FK in current mainstream brands. If present, it should appear in the ingredient list as “Brown FK,” “E154,” or “Kipper Brown,” depending on local labeling rules.

References

Footnotes

1. Directive 94/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1994 on colours for use in foodstuffs — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/1994/36/oj ↩ ↩²

2. Directive 95/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 July 1995 laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/1995/45/oj ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 of 9 March 2012 laying down 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

4. Color Additive Status List — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives/color-additive-status-list ↩ ↩²