E121 — Citrus Red 2
Why it’s used
A synthetic red dye used narrowly in the US to color the skin (not flesh) of oranges not intended for further processing; not used inside the flesh or in general food products.
Other names
C.I. Food Orange 6
Diet flags
Regulatory status
Permitted only to color the skins of oranges not intended for processing, under 21 CFR 74.302; not permitted for any other food use. Source (2026-07-23)
Not included in the EU-wide positive list of authorised food colors; banned in the EU since 1977 on allergenicity and toxicity grounds. Source (2026-07-23)
Regulatory status by region
The FDA has allowed Citrus Red No. 2 since 1956 solely for orange peel coloring, not for internal food use, whereas the EU has banned the dye outright for all food uses since 1977. Both regions restrict/prohibit general food use, but the US retains this single narrow exception the EU does not.
The EU prohibits Citrus Red 2 in all food applications, with no exception analogous to the US orange-peel-only allowance. The substance is also listed by IARC as a Group 2B possible human carcinogen.
Found in these products
None of the products in our database currently contain E121.