E132 / Colours
Indigotine, Indigo carmine
Safety in brief
Safe in moderation
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- Recorded sensitivities: dye sensitivity.
- Our advice
- Read the whole food label and consider how often you eat the product. A name or E number does not tell you the amount, and an ingredient rating cannot assess the entire food.
What it is
Indigotine (Indigo carmine) is a synthetic blue dye used in foods, beverages, medicines, and cosmetics. It is approved with maximum use levels in the EU/UK, permitted in the US under good manufacturing practice, and has an established acceptable daily intake considered protective for the general population.
Also appears on labels as: Indigotine, Indigo carmine, E132, E 132, E-132, CI 73015, Synthetic blue dye, Food color indigo, FD&C Blue No. 2, Indigo carmine dye, Indigotine colorant, Blue 2.
What is indigotine, and is E132 the same as indigo carmine?
E132 identifies indigotine, also called indigo carmine in the FSA guide. It is a blue food colour. The FDA pairs indigotine with the US certified-colour name FD&C Blue No. 2. These names help you recognise the colour when different labels use different naming systems.
E132 / FD&C Blue No. 2 differs from E133 / Brilliant Blue FCF / FD&C Blue No. 1. Both are blue colours, but they are separately named ingredients. Keep the exact code and full name when reading a label. Their colouring function concerns the food’s appearance, not a health benefit or the quantity you consume.
A match between an E number and a US colour name does not certify a batch or establish permission for every food and market. FDA certification, specifications and food-use conditions are separate checks.
- FSA additive names and E numbers (June 25, 2026)
- FDA: food-colour functions, common names and batch certification
- FDA: certified colour names on food ingredient labels
See how EatMatrix reads an ingredient list before trying the app. Compare a scan with the physical label.
Identity and food-use sources checked . The E number alone does not tell you the amount in a product. Wider scientific and market checks are described below.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- Caution
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Selected research on E132
How to read study types- Regulator reviewEFSA follow-up review of indigo carmine
A new study did not confirm testis effects reported earlier. EFSA confirmed the safe daily limit of 5 mg per kg of body weight and found no safety concern at reported use levels.
- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of indigo carmine
Kept the safe daily limit of 5 mg per kg of body weight for colour of known purity. One study reporting testis effects needed follow-up data.
Summaries of each source's published abstract or statement, checked . 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
- Rare hypersensitivity reactions reported (more often in medical uses).
- High-percentile child exposure can approach the ADI under worst-case assumptions at maximum permitted levels.
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 Indigo Carmine (E 132) as a food additive — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2014). 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 E132
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 E132: Indigotine, Indigo carmine. 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 E132 (Indigotine, Indigo carmine) 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 | Named food-use records located. Health Canada lists the preparations below for specified foods and purposes. This is conditional permission for those uses, not approval of every product or a personal safety verdict. Only the named records and conditions below were located. Exact composition and specifications still need matching. Source tables captured . List publication dates are shown separately. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a condition of use, not an unlimited amount or a recommended intake. Food and Drug Regulations B.16.003 requires the listed source, purpose, amount and other conditions to match. The official consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026; product specifications and applicable later changes still need checking. Read 7 listed food-use conditionsIndigotine Footnote *Health Canada: List of Permitted Food Colours. List published ; item I.1.
Official list footnote: * This food colour is a synthetic colour as defined in section B.16.001 of the Food and Drug Regulations . For the purposes of section B.16.012 of the Food and Drug Regulations , the synthetic colours identified in the list above are water soluble with the exception of citrus red No. 2. Return to footnote * referrer EatMatrix reading: match the exact preparation and food first. A manufacturing limit is not an acceptable daily intake (ADI). A label without the amount cannot establish exposure, and an unlisted name here does not establish a ban. |
| 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 E132. 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 | Safe in moderation |
| WHO | Safe in moderation |
| EFSA | Safe in moderation |
| FSANZ | Safe in moderation |
| Japan | Safe in moderation |
| UK FSA | Safe in moderation |
| Health Canada | Safe in moderation |
Official assessment sources for E132
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: Indigotine, Indigo carmine.
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Indigo Carmine (E 132) 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 E132?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E132 (Indigotine, Indigo carmine) is “Safe in moderation”. 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 E132 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Indigotine, Indigo carmine — 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 E132 and why is it used?
Indigotine (Indigo carmine) is a synthetic blue dye used in foods, beverages, medicines, and cosmetics. It is approved with maximum use levels in the EU/UK, permitted in the US under good manufacturing practice, and has an established acceptable daily intake considered protective for the general population.
Does E132 contain allergens?
No known allergens are recorded for Indigotine, Indigo carmine, with a caution: dye sensitivity.
Is indigotine the same as indigo carmine?
The FSA guide lists both indigotine and indigo carmine under E132. FDA information pairs indigotine with the certified US name FD&C Blue No. 2. Match the actual name and number on the product label; these names do not establish its quantity or a whole-product health verdict.
Is E132 Blue 1 or Blue 2?
In the US FD&C naming system, indigotine corresponds to FD&C Blue No. 2. E133 is Brilliant Blue FCF, corresponding to FD&C Blue No. 1. These are different colours. Use the complete FD&C name and the E number rather than treating every blue colour as the same ingredient.
Read the whole label.
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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.