Ingredient Index · E122

Is Azorubine banned in Europe?

Banned in US only

The direction is reversed here: azorubine (carmoisine, E122) is permitted in the EU, though it carries a mandatory hyperactivity warning, and is not approved for food in the United States. So it is effectively banned in the US, not in Europe.

E-number: E122CAS: 3567-69-9 Also seen as: Carmoisine, E122, Food Red 3, Acid Red 14

What the EU does

Permitted, with a warning. Azorubine is authorized as a food color under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, used in things like sweets, jellies, and flavored dairy. It is one of the six so-called "Southampton" dyes, named for the 2007 University of Southampton study that linked mixtures of them to increased hyperactivity in some children.

Since 2010, any EU food containing azorubine must carry the label warning that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." That label is commercially awkward enough that many European manufacturers reformulated to natural colors rather than print it, so the dye is legal but increasingly rare on EU shelves.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (E122 authorized); Annex V warning label requirement; EFSA re-evaluation of azo colours (Southampton study, 2007)

What the US does

Not approved. Azorubine is not on the FDA's list of color additives permitted in food, so it cannot legally be used to color food sold in the United States. There is no American equivalent of E122 on an ingredient label, because a US manufacturer reaching for a red would use an approved dye like FD&C Red No. 40 instead.

This is one of the cases people miss when they assume every additive gap runs one way. On azorubine specifically, the US is the stricter jurisdiction: it never authorized the dye at all, while Europe authorized it and then bolted a warning label onto it.

Citation FDA Color Additive Status List (azorubine/carmoisine not listed for food use); 21 CFR Parts 74 and 82

Products that commonly contain it

Where azorubine still appears, it is almost always in European or imported products:

Imported European sweets, jellies, and gummies
Flavored yogurts and dairy desserts sold in the EU
Some marzipan, cheesecake mixes, and red-tinted sauces abroad
Certain imported soft drinks and cordials

What to look for on a label

Because it is not used in US food, you will only meet it on imported labels:

"Azorubine," "carmoisine," or "E122" on an EU-style ingredient list
The phrase "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" nearby
In the US, a red usually means FD&C Red No. 40 (Allura Red) instead

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Frequently asked questions

Is azorubine banned in Europe?

No. Azorubine (E122) is authorized in the EU, but any food containing it must carry a warning that it may affect activity and attention in children. Many makers reformulate to avoid the label.

Is azorubine legal in the United States?

No. It is not on the FDA's list of color additives approved for food, so it cannot be used to color food in the US. American products use approved dyes like Red 40 instead.

What is the difference between azorubine and carmoisine?

They are two names for the same red azo dye, E122. "Carmoisine" is the common trade name; "azorubine" is the standard chemical name.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed July 20, 2026 · How we assign statuses