What is Carmoisine (Azorubine) (E122)?

What does it do?

Adds colour to food or restores colour lost during processing.

Is it harmful? Risk context

There is limited evidence, or caution is warranted under specific conditions. Its presence alone does not mean "danger"; at ordinary amounts no problem is reported for most people. NeBu treats it as a moderate signal and presents it with the context below.

Southampton Six azo dye; EU mandatory child activity/attention warning on-pack

Containing an additive is not the same as being harmed by the product. A hazard is a substance’s theoretical potential to cause harm; risk depends on the actual amount you are exposed to. Rather than stamping additives with fear-based labels, NeBu explains them with sourced information — and leaves the decision to you.

Regulatory status

• In the EU a child attention/activity warning label is mandatory for this colour (Southampton Six).

Sources

• EFSA — Food additives
• CMS Law-Now — EU compulsory warnings on colours (Southampton-Six)
• Türk Gıda Kodeksi — Gıda Katkı Maddeleri Yönetmeliği (RG 13.10.2023)