Amaranth; Amaranth Dye

(in 632 products)

Banned by Gov or classified as a carcinogen by IARC

1. Colorant - Pigments or dyes that are added in order to change or enhance the color.

Amaranth Dye is a dark red to purple azo dye used as a coloring agent for foodstuffs, medicine and cosmetics. Amaranth is an anionic dye which can be applied to natural and synthetic fibers, leather, paper, and phenol-formaldehyde resins. Amaranth usually comes as a trisodium salt. Like all azo dyes, Amaranth was, during the middle of the 20th century, made from coal tar; modern synthetics are more likely to be made from petroleum byproducts.

It is approved for use as food coloring (E123) in EU but is not approved for use in food, drugs and cosmetics under US FDA. This substance has been prohibited by the European Commission for use in cosmetic products.

1. PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5359521

1. EU CosIng Annex II, SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS [2017]

- Ref: II/1350

2. Association of Southeast Asian Nations Annex II, Prohibited

- Trisodium 3-hydroxy-4-(4'-sulphonatonaphthylazo)naphthalene-2,7-disulphonate (Acid Red 27; CI 16185) when used as a substance in hair dye products

3. South Korea - Ministry of Food and Drug Safety - Prohibited/Restricted Chemicals

- Ref: 413

4. EU CosIng Annex IV, COLORANTS ALLOWED IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS [2017]

- Ref: IV/33

5. EU Approved Food Additive [2018]

- E123

6. Japan’s List of Designated Food Additives under Article 10 of the Food Sanitation Act

- Food Red No.2 (Amaranth) and its Aluminum Lake

7. Association of Southeast Asian Nations Annex IV - Part 1, Allowed Colorants

- CI 16185