E127 — Erythrosine
Why it’s used
A synthetic pink-red xanthene dye used to color candy, baked goods, and maraschino cherries; the FDA is revoking its food authorization while the EU still permits it in a narrow set of cherry products.
Other names
FD&C Red No. 3, Red 3, C.I. 45430
Diet flags
Regulatory status
The FDA announced in January 2025 that it is revoking the color additive listing for FD&C Red No. 3 in food (effective 2027) and ingested drugs (2028) under the Delaney Clause, based on evidence of cancer in male rats; existing food authorization remains in force during the phase-out period. Source (2026-07-23)
Authorised EU-wide as E127 but restricted to cocktail cherries, candied cherries, and Bigarreaux cherries in syrup, at an ADI of 0.1 mg/kg bw/day per EFSA's 2011 re-evaluation. Source (2026-07-23)
Regulatory status by region
The FDA's revocation rests on the Delaney Clause, which bars any food additive shown to cause cancer in animals regardless of human-relevance debate. The EU's own risk assessment reached a different practical conclusion, keeping erythrosine authorised but confined to a narrow set of cherry products at a low ADI — a genuine and currently unfolding divergence between the two regimes.
EFSA's 2011 opinion kept erythrosine authorised only for a narrow cherry-product category, well short of the general food use it once had; the FDA is now moving to revoke its US food authorization entirely on cancer-risk grounds under the Delaney Clause.
Found in these products
None of the products in our database currently contain E127.