E104 / Colours
Quinoline Yellow
Safety in brief
Better avoided
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- No allergen or sensitivity is recorded for this ingredient here. Check the whole product label; this is not an allergen-free guarantee.
- Our advice
- The Southampton result concerns a mixture containing quinoline yellow, not a quinoline-yellow-only experiment. The warning label is relevant, but the tartrazine-only trial and cell studies on other colours do not become E104 evidence.
What it is
Quinoline Yellow (CI 47005) is a synthetic dye used to add a greenish-yellow colour to foods, beverages, cosmetics, and medicines. It is approved with maximum use levels and requires a hyperactivity warning label in the EU/UK and Australia/New Zealand, but it is not permitted in foods in the US or Canada. EFSA has lowered its acceptable daily intake, and high consumers may approach that limit.
Also appears on labels as: Quinoline Yellow, Quinoline Yellow WS, Quinoline Yellow E104, E104, E 104, E-104, INS 104, Synthetic Quinoline Yellow, Food grade Quinoline Yellow, Quinoline Yellow powder, Quinoline Yellow solution, Additivo alimentare Quinoline Yellow.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- None recorded
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
What behaviour and body-effect studies mean for E104
Children’s activity and attention: what the mixture trial can tell us
The 2007 Southampton crossover trial included 153 three-year-olds and 144 children aged eight or nine. Children received a placebo drink or one of two drinks containing several colours plus sodium benzoate. Thirty children did not complete the study. Behaviour scores increased in some comparisons, but findings depended on age, mixture and which participants were analysed.
This ingredient was in at least one tested mixture. The study cannot tell us which ingredient, or combination, produced a change. A higher behaviour score is not a new diagnosis of ADHD, and the result does not mean that every child responds.
Southampton trial: colour and sodium-benzoate mixtures. Indexed abstract and EFSA’s subsequent assessment read. The timeline uses the journal issue date. An indexed November 2007 erratum and commentary were identified; their complete texts and the full trial methods remain to be reviewed. Exact effect estimates are not reproduced.
What EFSA said about the Southampton study
In 2008, EFSA judged the evidence for a small mixture effect to be limited and inconsistent. It could not identify a responsible individual additive or establish the clinical importance of the changes. EFSA did not consider this study sufficient to change the acceptable daily intakes at that time. Use the separate, additive-specific assessments below for their own dates and scope.
EFSA assessment of the Southampton mixture study. Official EFSA summary and publication identity read. This is a historical study assessment, not a fresh 2026 assessment or a statement of current country permissions.
What the UK label warning means
UK food-labelling guidance includes this colour among six that require an activity-and-attention warning on relevant food labels. The wording is “May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”. This is a labelling requirement, not a statement that every child reacts or that all uses are banned.
UK food and drink warnings. Check the country section for the separate question of permitted food uses and their conditions.
EatMatrix’s reading
The Southampton result concerns a mixture containing quinoline yellow, not a quinoline-yellow-only experiment. The warning label is relevant, but the tartrazine-only trial and cell studies on other colours do not become E104 evidence.
A practical next step for parents
NICE does not recommend removing colours and additives as a universal ADHD treatment. If a particular food repeatedly seems linked to behaviour, discuss the pattern with the child’s clinician. A food-and-symptom diary can help; targeted dietary changes should involve a dietitian and the child’s care team. Keep the overall diet varied and nutritionally adequate.
Selected sources checked . Reading scope and known correction gaps are stated beside each source. Recent laboratory and exposure studies are labelled separately from human intervention trials. This is not an exhaustive clinical review, a personal diet prescription or a complete current-country assessment. These selected findings do not change recorded ratings or permissions.
Selected research on E104
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA assessment of the Southampton mixture study
EFSA found limited evidence of a small, inconsistent mixture effect and could not attribute it to individual additives. That study alone did not justify changing acceptable daily intakes. This historical opinion does not replace current additive-specific assessments.
- Randomized trialSouthampton trial: colour and sodium-benzoate mixtures
The crossover trial included 297 children in two age groups. Some colour-plus-benzoate mixtures increased behaviour scores, with results varying by age, mixture and analysis. It cannot identify one responsible additive or establish new ADHD diagnoses.
Earlier source summaries checked ; latest additions checked . See the detailed research section for what was read and the remaining limits. This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Possible hyperactivity effects in some children; EU requires a warning label for certain artificial colours including E104.
- ADI established (lowered by EFSA); exposure can exceed ADI for high consumers.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Quinoline Yellow (E 104) as a food additive — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2009). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
Country rules
Country checks for E104
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Annex II Part B, version , contains the exact code E104: Quinoline Yellow. Listing alone does not allow every food use. Part E food categories, limits, specifications and applicable later acts still need a product-specific check. Source read: . |
| Great Britain | The FSA register record for E104 (Quinoline Yellow) lists “Authorised” in England, Scotland and Wales. Register updated: 01 April 2025; record checked: . Food-specific conditions and specifications still need a separate legal check. |
| United States | Complete current-use review pending. Any scoped provision in the label guide above applies only to the stated use. FDA explains the applicable food-additive and GRAS framework. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | No exact named entry located in the reviewed additive lists No exact named food-additive entry was located in the 15 current lists for Quinoline Yellow. Tartrazine is a different yellow colour. EatMatrix reading: Do not claim a permitted additive use from this review. Exact preparation, intended use and any applicable separate legal provision need confirmation; this table result is not a toxicology verdict or proof of a universal ban. Name and category review: . This describes the legal source check, not a finding that the ingredient is safe, unsafe or untested. Sources and names checkedNames checked: Quinoline Yellow. All 15 Health Canada permitted-additive lists were checked by exact name, with the reviewed alternatives above. E-numbers alone are not Canadian ingredient names. The Justice Canada consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026. A complete product decision also requires its composition, specifications, intended food and use, quantities, applicable separate provisions and any later changes. |
| Australia | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| New Zealand | Review pending. Food Standards Code permissions and conditions need an additive-specific check. FSANZ food-additive rules is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 2 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment sources
- Commission-listed EFSA references for E104. Bibliographic identity checked; latest findings and current use rules need separate review.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Better avoided |
| WHO | Safe in moderation |
| EFSA | Safe in moderation |
| FSANZ | Safe in moderation |
| Japan | Safe in moderation |
| UK FSA | Safe in moderation |
| Health Canada | Better avoided |
Official assessment sources for E104
The European Commission’s re-evaluation table lists official EFSA documents for this additive. Their identifiers and subjects were checked against publisher bibliographic records. A missing research link in the EatMatrix database does not mean the additive has never been assessed.
Name in the Commission table: Quinoline Yellow.
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Quinoline Yellow (E 104) as a food additive
EFSA scientific opinion. Published: .
These are assessment references, including historical or group assessments. They do not establish the latest scientific conclusion, a human health benefit or risk, or current permission to use the additive in a particular food. Later assessments, corrections and food-use conditions need separate review. The recorded EatMatrix rating above is unchanged.
European Commission re-evaluation table, status as of . EatMatrix checked this bibliography on .
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E104?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E104 (Quinoline Yellow) is “Better avoided”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E104 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Quinoline Yellow — vegan: yes, vegetarian: yes, halal: yes, kosher: yes, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E104 and why is it used?
Quinoline Yellow (CI 47005) is a synthetic dye used to add a greenish-yellow colour to foods, beverages, cosmetics, and medicines. It is approved with maximum use levels and requires a hyperactivity warning label in the EU/UK and Australia/New Zealand, but it is not permitted in foods in the US or Canada. EFSA has lowered its acceptable daily intake, and high consumers may approach that limit.
Does E104 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Quinoline Yellow.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.