Is Tartrazine bad for you?
Also listed as: INS 102, E102, yellow 5, FD&C Yellow 5
Short answer
Permitted within limits, but a small number of people react to it, and in the EU foods with it must warn that it may affect activity and attention in children.
What it is
A synthetic lemon-yellow food colour.
Where you’ll see it
Sweets, jellies, soft drinks, custard powders, snacks and some packaged namkeen.
+ The good side
- Bright, stable colour in small amounts
− The other side
- Can trigger hives or asthma-like reactions in sensitive people
- Part of the colour group studied for hyperactivity in some children
- Adds no nutrition
Who should pay attention
Parents, and people with aspirin sensitivity or allergies.
💡 What to do: Choose snacks without synthetic colours for young children when you can.
Got a pack with Tartrazine?
Snap the label. NutriSathi shows how much it matters in that product, for your body and where you bought it. Free.
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Sodium benzoate
Approved and considered safe within set limits. Worth limiting in sugary soft drinks, especially combined with vitamin C, and for children sensitive to additives.
Caramel colour
Approved and considered safe within limits. It is mostly a cosmetic additive; some types contain a by-product that regulators cap, so very high cola intake is worth limiting anyway.
General food information, not medical advice. Exact limits and labelling rules vary by country. If you have a medical condition or allergy, follow your doctor’s or dietitian’s advice.