Allura Red AC (E129)
- Food Caution
- Cosmetics Fine
What is Allura Red AC (E129)?
Allura Red (E129) is an artificial red colouring used in sweets, soft drinks and desserts. Safety reviews found no sign that it damages DNA or causes cancer at normal amounts. Some children may become restless or less focused after mixes of artificial colours, so EU products with it must carry a warning label.
What does Allura Red AC do in cosmetics?
In cosmetics and hair dyes, Allura Red (listed as CI 16035) is used to add red colour. EU safety experts found a wide safety margin on skin, even assuming all of it were absorbed. It's fine in creams, shampoos and hair dye.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Allura Red AC?
Yasno’s verdict on Allura Red AC: In food: Caution. Some evidence of a concern, it depends on the amount, or it is genuinely worth knowing. A Caution always has a specific, sourced reason. In cosmetics: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts.
Is Allura Red AC allowed in the EU?
EU status of Allura Red AC: In food: Permitted as a food additive. In cosmetics: Restricted in cosmetics (limits and conditions apply). Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Permitted as a food additive | Listed as a colour additive by the US FDA |
| Cosmetics | Restricted in cosmetics (limits and conditions apply) | Not recorded |
What else is it called?
- E129
- Allura Red
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-2995, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2012
- Allura Red AC, Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 2016
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Allura Red AC (E 129) as a food additive, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2009
- Potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children: a review of the human and animal evidence, Environmental Health, 2022
- 2004 SCCNFP opinion on Allura Red AC/CI 16035, European Commission Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products Intended for Consumers, 2004
Always check the physical label. Yasno describes evidence and regulatory status. It never says a product is free of an allergen or safe for you, and it is not medical advice.
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