Scientific Opinion
Statement of EFSA
Statement of EFSA
Statement of EFSA
Food colours
Food colours are food additives which are added to food and drinks mainly for the following reasons:
- Making up for colour losses following exposure to light, air, moisture, and variations in temperature;
- Enhancing naturally occurring colours;
- Adding colour to foods that would otherwise be colourless or coloured differently.
Food colours are contained in many foods, including snack foods, margarine, cheese, jams and jellies, desserts, and drinks.
Each food colour authorised for use in the European Union is subject to a rigorous safety assessment by EFSA. In the EU, as for all food additives, the presence of food colours must be indicated on the label either by its name or its E number A number used in the European Union to identify permitted food additives. An E number means that an additive has passed safety tests and has been approved for use.. Check out the full list of permitted food colours in the EU.
Latest
As part of its comprehensive reassessment of all food additives introduced to the market before January 2009, EFSA undertook a safety review of all authorised food colours. This work was completed by EFSA in 2016.
In some cases, the European Commission requested EFSA to update its assessments for food colours, for example where EFSA’s experts had previously identified data gaps, requiring additional research. Currently, EFSA is conducting a follow-up assessment of the following food colours:
Milestones
2023
July
EFSA’s experts conduct a safety re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive. This re-evaluation aims to address some of the previously identified data gaps and also involves assessing the safety of its use in food for infants below 16 weeks of age. The experts conclude that there are no safety concerns associated with exposure to E 170. However, they highlight that the presence of aluminium as an impurity Any foreign body present in a food or feed which may arise due to errors in manufacturing, storage or transportation. in E 170 is of concern.
July
Experts update the safety assessment of indigo carmine (E 132), reconfirming the previously established ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs. of 5 mg/kg bw per day and recommending some modifications to the existing EU specifications for E 132. The focus of such modifications is to lower the limits for toxic elements.
2021
EFSA updates its safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E 171), concluding that it can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.
2019
EFSA issues an updated scientific opinion on annatto E, which is an extract used for the food additive E 160b. Additionally, our experts updated dietary exposure estimates to annatto colouring agents bixin and norbixin (E 160b).
2016
EFSA completes its re-evaluation of all previously authorised food colours. Overall, EFSA re-assessed 41 food colours.
2013
EFSA scientists further strengthen their coordination of food and feed additive Product intentionally added to animal feed to improve: i) the quality of the feeds ii) the quality of the food products obtained from animals; iii) animal performance and health. evaluations, highlighting their joint work on colours.
EFSA's role
EFSA assesses the safety of food colours in the same way as for other food additives. Check out our topic page on food additives.
EU framework
Under EU legislation, all additives including food colours, must be authorised before they can be used in foods.