Acid Red 14 Aluminum Lake
Acid Red 14 (Carmoisine, E122) is on the EU's mandatory child-hyperactivity warning list following the 2007 Southampton study, requiring the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. It is NOT approved for use in food in the United States.
What it is
Aluminum-bound (lake) form of Acid Red 14 (Carmoisine/Azorubine, E122), a synthetic azo dye.
Red colorant in foods and cosmetics (cosmetic-grade in US; food-permitted in EU).
Why it's flagged
- EU child-hyperactivity warning list
- azo dye - allergic/intolerance reactions
- not FDA-approved for food use
- aluminum content (lake form)
What regulators actually say
"Foods containing the colours... E 122 (Azorubine, Carmoisine)... shall include the additional information 'name or E number of the colour(s): may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'."
"EFSA's Panel on Food Additives concluded that the available data... support a reduction of the ADI for Azorubine/Carmoisine (E 122) from 4 to 1 mg/kg bw/day."
"Consumption of a mixture of additives... resulted in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population (the 'Southampton study')."
Regulatory status
United States — FDA
Not approved as a food color additive in the US (no listing in 21 CFR 74).
European Union — EFSA
Approved as E122 with ADI 4 mg/kg bw/day; mandatory Southampton-Six warning under EC Regulation 1333/2008.
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