Tartrazine E102
synthetic — Primarily azo dye.
trisodium (4E)-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfonatophenyl)-4-[(4-sulfonatophenyl)hydrazinylidene]-3-pyrazolecarboxylate
CAS: 1934-21-0
Factual Regulatory Reference
This database provides factual regulatory information compiled from official government sources. It does not constitute medical, nutritional, or safety advice. Regulatory status varies by country and is subject to change. Always refer to your local regulatory authority for the most current information.
What Is Tartrazine?
Tartrazine (E102) is a synthetic azo dye that produces a bright lemon-yellow color in food and beverages. It is manufactured through chemical synthesis — specifically diazotization of sulfanilic acid followed by coupling with a pyrazole intermediate — and has no natural equivalent. Tartrazine is widely used in carbonated soft drinks, confectionery, breakfast cereals, instant soups, and certain medications and cosmetics. In the EU, tartrazine is one of the six 'Southampton Six' artificial colors required to carry the mandatory warning label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children' on any product where it is used, following a 2007 study commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency that associated a mixture of these colors with increased hyperactivity in children; both EFSA (2009) and JECFA (2016) have established an ADI of 7.5 mg/kg body weight per day.
? Did You Know?
Beyond food, Tartrazine is also used in cosmetics, medicine, industrial applications. Its versatility makes it one of the most multi-purpose chemical compounds in everyday life.
To reach the Acceptable Daily Intake limit, a 60kg adult would need to consume approximately ~18 servings of colored candy (50g) in a single day. (This is a mathematical illustration, not a safety recommendation.)
Regulatory Analysis
Tartrazine is the most extensively studied synthetic food dye in history, yet decades of research have failed to produce regulatory consensus on its behavioral effects in children. The EU mandated warning labels based on the Southampton study while the FDA reviewed the same evidence and concluded it did not warrant any action, a divergence that reflects fundamentally different regulatory philosophies about the evidentiary threshold for precautionary labeling. The well-documented aspirin cross-sensitivity in tartrazine-reactive individuals adds an immunological dimension absent from most food dye debates, raising questions about whether individual susceptibility patterns should influence population-level regulatory decisions.
Detailed Regulatory Assessment
European Union (EFSA)
Must carry warning: 'May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'
Official EFSA LinkUnited States (FDA)
Requires batch certification by FDA
Japan (MHLW)
Compliant with Japanese food sanitation law.
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
International Standard (JECFA)
mg/kg body weight per day
European Standard (EFSA)
Everyday Perspective
For a 60kg adult, this limit is roughly equivalent to consuming:
Natural Occurrence
This additive is not known to occur naturally in significant quantities.
Manufacturing
Synthesized by diazotization of sulfanilic acid followed by coupling with 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid.
Applications Beyond Food
Used in hair dyes and other cosmetic products.
Used as a colorant in tablets and capsules.
Used in textile dyeing and printing.
Safety & Regulatory History
Full Timeline →Tartrazine approved for use in foods in the USA.
Tartrazine listed as certified color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 under Color Additives Amendment.
FDA required specific labeling of tartrazine due to reports of allergic reactions in sensitive in...
Southampton study published in The Lancet suggesting link between artificial colors (including ta...
EFSA reviewed Southampton study, concluded evidence does not warrant revision of ADI but noted so...
EU mandated warning label on foods containing tartrazine and other azo dyes: 'may have an adverse...
EFSA re-evaluated tartrazine (E102), reduced ADI from 7.5 to 7.5 mg/kg bw/day after comprehensive...
California Assembly Bill introduced to ban tartrazine and other synthetic dyes in foods (not enac...
Tartrazine approved for use in foods in the USA.
Tartrazine listed as certified color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 under Color Additives Amendment.
FDA required specific labeling of tartrazine due to reports of allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, particularly those with aspirin sensitivity.
Southampton study published in The Lancet suggesting link between artificial colors (including tartrazine) and hyperactivity in children.
EFSA reviewed Southampton study, concluded evidence does not warrant revision of ADI but noted some children may show sensitivity.
EU mandated warning label on foods containing tartrazine and other azo dyes: 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'.
EFSA re-evaluated tartrazine (E102), reduced ADI from 7.5 to 7.5 mg/kg bw/day after comprehensive review of toxicological data.
California Assembly Bill introduced to ban tartrazine and other synthetic dyes in foods (not enacted).