E127 - Erythrosine

Author: Alexander Bruni Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: January 27, 2026

CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)

Characteristics: Erythrosine is a chemical substance, a colorant of synthetic origin. It is a white powder or granules that dissolve well in water, alcohol and do not dissolve in vegetable oils.

Characteristic

Erythrosine is a chemical dye of synthetic origin. It is a white powder or granules that dissolve well in water, alcohol and do not dissolve in oils of vegetable origin and fats. It can also be in the form of aluminum varnish, which is insoluble in water, alcohol and grease. The color of the colorant is bluish-pink. Refers to hazardous substances.

Use

Erythrosine is used in the food industry for coloring fruit products. It is not used in the making of juices, because in an acidic environment, insoluble acids and sediments are formed. The additive can be used in the production of biscuits and candied cherries.

The permissible daily amount is 0.6 mg / kg body weight. It is used both alone and in combination with other dyes. For many foods there are specific amounts of erythrosine, for example: in canning apples and pears, in the preparation of jellies and marmalades - 200 mg / kg, in canning strawberries and raspberries - up to 300 mg / kg, in fresh frozen or canned shrimp - up to 30 mg / kg, and for yogurt products - up to 27 mg / kg.

In addition to the food industry, the additive E 127 is also used in medicine and cosmetics (toothpastes). Water-soluble dye is used for dyeing wool, cotton and silk fabrics.

Effects on the human body

Erythrosine can be hazardous to health if exceeded. The substance increases agitation and hyperactive behavior in children, causes asthma, adversely affects many internal organs such as liver, thyroid, heart, stomach, causing various diseases associated with them and their malfunction. E 127 does not have a good effect on the reproductive function of the body. Erythrosine has a carcinogenic effect. The colorant is used in EU and US countries. In Russia it is not used in medicine.