Home › Ingredients › Food colours

Food colours: halal status of each one

Colours give food its look. Most are synthetic dyes or come from plants and minerals. The ones to watch are insect-based carmine and colours supplied in a gelatine carrier.

41 in this group · 7 need a closer look

Watch for these

All food colours

Number	Name	Used as	Halal status	Why
`E100`	Curcumin (turmeric)	Colour	Usually halal	Mineral, plant, microbial or synthetic source.
`E101`	Riboflavin	Colour	Usually halal	Mineral, plant, microbial or synthetic source.
`E102`	Tartrazine	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E104`	Quinoline yellow	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E110`	Sunset yellow FCF	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E120`	Carmines / cochineal	Colour	Scholars differ	Red colour made from crushed cochineal insects. Many Muslims avoid it; some scholars permit it.
`E122`	Azorubine (carmoisine)	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E123`	Amaranth	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E124`	Ponceau 4R	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E127`	Erythrosine	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E129`	Allura red AC	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E132`	Indigotine	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E133`	Brilliant blue FCF	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E140`	Chlorophylls	Colour	Usually halal	From plants.
`E141`	Chlorophyll copper complexes	Colour	Usually halal	From plants.
`E142`	Green S	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E143`	Fast green FCF	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E150a`	Plain caramel	Colour	Usually halal	Heated sugar.
`E150b`	Caustic sulphite caramel	Colour	Usually halal	Heated sugar.
`E150c`	Ammonia caramel	Colour	Usually halal	Heated sugar.
`E150d`	Sulphite ammonia caramel	Colour	Usually halal	Heated sugar.
`E151`	Brilliant black BN	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E153`	Vegetable carbon	Colour	Check the source	Should be plant charcoal, but carbon black can also be made from bone char.
`E155`	Brown HT	Colour	Usually halal	Synthetic colour.
`E160a`	Carotenes	Colour	Check the source	The colour is plant-based, but it is often supplied in a gelatine carrier.
`E160b`	Annatto extracts	Colour	Usually halal	From annatto seeds.
`E160c`	Paprika oleoresin	Colour	Usually halal	From paprika.
`E160d`	Lycopene	Colour	Check the source	From tomatoes or fungi; may use a gelatine carrier.
`E160e`	β-apo-8′-carotenal	Colour	Check the source	May use a gelatine carrier.
`E160f`	β-apo-8′-carotenoic acid ester	Colour	Check the source	May use a gelatine carrier.
`E161b`	Lutein	Colour	Usually halal	From marigold flowers.
`E161g`	Canthaxanthin	Colour	Check the source	May use a gelatine carrier.
`E162`	Beet red	Colour	Usually halal	From beetroot.
`E163`	Anthocyanins	Colour	Usually halal	From grape skins, berries or red cabbage.
`E170`	Calcium carbonate	Colour	Usually halal	Mineral, plant, microbial or synthetic source.
`E171`	Titanium dioxide	Colour	Usually halal	Mineral.
`E172`	Iron oxides	Colour	Usually halal	Mineral.
`E173`	Aluminium	Colour	Usually halal	Metal.
`E174`	Silver	Colour	Usually halal	Metal.
`E175`	Gold	Colour	Usually halal	Metal.
`E579`	Ferrous gluconate	Colour	Usually halal	Mineral, plant, microbial or synthetic source.

Browse all ingredient groups · Check a full label