Additive guide
E102 Tartrazinewhat it means on a food label
Azo dye linked to hyperactivity in children in the Southampton study. Carries a mandatory warning label in the EU. Berry Pure flags additives like this during a scan so you can decide faster at the shelf.
Berry Pure verdict
Best avoided
E102 is on Berry Pure's best-avoided list because the evidence record includes a ban, warning-label requirement, regulatory action, or a consistent health concern. The practical move is simple: if you see E102 or Tartrazine on a food you buy often, scan the label and look for a cleaner swap.
Usually found in
Soft drinks, sweets, sauces
If these are regular buys in your kitchen, scan a few brands side by side. Additive use can vary a lot between similar products.
Additive family
Colour
Dyes and pigments that change how food looks.
How to spot it on a label
Manufacturers may use the E-number code, the full additive name, or a common alternative name. These are the label terms to check:
- E102
- Tartrazine
- Yellow 5
The evidence record
EFSA re-evaluated tartrazine in 2009 and kept the ADI at 7.5 mg per kg of body weight per day, the same level set decades earlier by JECFA and the EU Scientific Committee for Food. The dye was one of the mixtures tested in the 2007 Southampton study, which reported a small increase in hyperactive behaviour in some children given colour and sodium benzoate mixtures. EFSA's panel judged the evidence limited and did not identify tartrazine alone as the cause, but the finding drove the EU warning-label requirement.
Tartrazine gives a lemon-yellow colour and appears in soft drinks, sweets, snacks, sauces, and some medicines, so children's products are a common exposure route. Regulators concluded that typical intakes stay below the ADI, but the EU still required the child-behaviour warning to prompt reformulation, and many European manufacturers switched to natural colours to avoid printing it. In the US, tartrazine remains legal as Yellow 5, though it is now part of the 2025 federal push to remove petroleum-based dyes from food.
Acceptable daily intake
7.5 mg per kg of body weight per day (EFSA, 2009; unchanged from earlier JECFA and EU Scientific Committee for Food evaluations)
Regulatory status
Permitted in the EU under Regulation EC 1333/2008 but, as one of the Southampton six, foods containing it must carry the warning 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children' (in force since 2010). Approved in the US as FD&C Yellow No. 5, though in April 2025 HHS and the FDA announced a plan to phase petroleum-based dyes, including Yellow 5, out of the food supply by the end of 2026.
Related additives
Same family, similar label context, or the same Berry Pure verdict.
Frequently askedquestions
Everything you need to know about scanning your food with Berry Pure.
What is E102 Tartrazine?
E102 is Tartrazine, a colour used in foods such as soft drinks, sweets, sauces. Azo dye linked to hyperactivity in children in the Southampton study. Carries a mandatory warning label in the EU.
Is E102 bad for you?
E102 is on Berry Pure's best-avoided list because the evidence record includes a ban, warning-label requirement, regulatory action, or a consistent health concern. The practical move is simple: if you see E102 or Tartrazine on a food you buy often, scan the label and look for a cleaner swap.
How do I spot E102 on a label?
Look for these label names: E102, Tartrazine, Yellow 5. Some products spell out the additive name instead of using the E-number code.
Can Berry Pure flag E102?
Yes. Berry Pure scans ingredient labels with your camera and flags additives like E102 so you do not have to memorize code numbers while shopping.
Sources
The claims on this page are based on these publications.
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