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Additives

Ponceau 6R (E126): What It Is and Is It Safe?

Hazardous Colour · Azo dye

Ponceau 6R is a synthetic red azo dye formerly assigned the food-colour number E126. It is not on the EU/UK list of permitted food colours. Azo dyes of this class can trigger intolerance reactions, especially in aspirin-sensitive and asthmatic people; it now survives mainly as a histology stain.

Category
Colour — Azo dye
Typically used in
Not permitted in food; used as a biological/histology stain.
Regulatory status
Not authorised as a food colour in the EU/UK.
Concerns flagged
Possible allergen

Scrannr flags Ponceau 6R automatically when you scan a barcode.

Sources

Where this comes from

  1. Amchandra et al. (2024) — Food Safety and Health Concerns of Synthetic Food Colors: An Update https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11280921/
Products

Products containing Ponceau 6R

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