Additive guide
Is Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) bad? What the science actually says
By the HealthierCart team ·
What is Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)?
Yellow 5, or tartrazine, is a petroleum-derived synthetic azo dye used to give foods a lemon-yellow color. Like other artificial colors it is purely cosmetic — it adds no nutrition or flavor.
| Also known as | Tartrazine, FD&C Yellow No. 5, E102 |
|---|---|
| E-number | E102 |
| U.S. status | Approved / permitted by the U.S. FDA |
| EU status | Permitted with a mandatory warning labelPermitted in the EU but requires a hyperactivity warning label (Reg. 1333/2008 Annex V). |
| HealthierCart view | Limit intake |
| Commonly found in | Soft drinks, candy, chips, pickles, packaged desserts, boxed mac-and-cheese, condiments, and some vitamins and medications. |
So, is Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) bad for you?
Approved and not a proven hazard at food-level doses, but worth limiting — especially for children. The strongest evidence is behavioral (the Southampton study), and a small subset of people report allergic-type reactions, so dose and personal sensitivity are the honest deciding factors.
What regulators actually say
The FDA approves tartrazine and requires it to be declared by name on labels. The EU permits it but mandates the 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children' warning under Regulation 1333/2008, following the Southampton study (McCann et al., The Lancet, 2007). California's OEHHA concluded in 2021 that synthetic dyes can affect children's behavior.
Where you'll find it
Soft drinks, candy, chips, pickles, packaged desserts, boxed mac-and-cheese, condiments, and some vitamins and medications.
Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): frequently asked questions
- Is Yellow 5 bad for you?
- For most people at normal food amounts it is not dangerous. The clearest concern is behavioral effects in some children, and rare allergic-type sensitivity. It is dose- and sensitivity-dependent rather than universally harmful.
- Why does the EU put a warning label on Yellow 5?
- After the 2007 Southampton study linked a mix of synthetic dyes to increased hyperactivity in children, the EU required a precautionary warning label on foods containing tartrazine and several other dyes.
- What is Yellow 5 made from?
- It is a synthetic azo dye derived from petroleum. It is not made from natural plant pigments, which is why clean-label products replace it with turmeric or annatto.
Sources
- European Union — Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (Annex V warning) (2008)
- California OEHHA — Health Effects Assessment: Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes (2021)
- The Lancet (McCann et al.) — Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in children (Southampton study) (2007)