Carmoisine
A synthetic red dye used in foods and medicines in the EU
No single value: Carmoisine is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, red.
Carmoisine is a man-made red dye, also called azorubine, used to colour foods and some medicines in Europe. It is not permitted for food use in the United States. The dye is part of a group of synthetic colours sometimes discussed for possible effects on children’s behaviour.
- Known as E122 in European food regulations
- Part of the Southampton Six group of food dyes
- Requires a warning label in the EU about possible effects on children
- Not approved for food use in the United States
- Made from synthetic chemicals, not natural sources
What colour is Carmoisine?
Carmoisine is a bright red artificial dye, also called azorubine or E122. It is made from chemical compounds that include naphthalene, giving it a strong, deep red appearance. This dye stands out from other reds because it is used mainly in processed foods and medicines, rather than in natural products or traditional crafts.
Where does Carmoisine come from?
The name carmoisine refers to its red colour, while azorubine is another term for the same compound. It was first registered for use in the United States in the late 1930s, but is now mainly found in Europe. The dye is part of a group of synthetic colours known as the 'Southampton Six', which have been studied for their potential effects on children.
How is Carmoisine made?
Carmoisine is produced from synthetic chemicals, including carbon and naphthalene units. It belongs to the azo dye family, which means it contains a specific type of chemical bond called an azo group. The dye is manufactured in laboratories rather than being extracted from plants, minerals or animals.
Where Carmoisine is used
In the European Union, carmoisine is approved for use in certain foods such as cheeses, dried fruits, and some alcoholic drinks. It can also be used in medicines as an inactive ingredient. In the United States, it was once allowed in cosmetics and drugs applied to the skin, but is no longer used in these products or in food.
What Carmoisine means
Carmoisine does not carry traditional symbolic meanings or emotional associations in any culture. Its main significance comes from its use as a colourant in food and medicine, and from public discussions about food safety and possible behavioural effects in children.
Red around the world
What the red family means from country to country.
The flag uses the four Pan-Arab colours: a red bar at the hoist with green, white and black bands. It was designed by a young Emirati, Abdullah Al Maainah, in 1971.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThe flag is a black double-headed eagle on red, the banner of the fifteenth-century hero Skanderbeg. Fans chant Kuq e Zi, red and black.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of AlbaniaArmenian scribes painted manuscripts with vordan karmir, a crimson dye made from an insect that lives on the roots of grasses in the Ararat plain.
Sacred and holySource: Armenian cochinealUnder Juan Manuel de Rosas in the 1830s and 1840s, everyone had to wear a scarlet ribbon to show loyalty to his Federalist party. His enemies, the Unitarians, were tied to sky blue.
Politics and protestFearSource: Juan Manuel de RosasThe flag is red, white and red. Legend says Duke Leopold V's white tunic was soaked in blood at the siege of Acre, all but the band under his belt.
Politics and protestCourageSource: Flag of AustriaRed ochre is used in Aboriginal rock art and ceremony, and is traded over long distances. In the Aboriginal flag the red half stands for the earth and for that ochre.
Sacred and holyNature and renewalAweSource: Australian Aboriginal flagShades and relatives of Carmoisine
Carmoisine is one of several synthetic red and yellow dyes grouped together as the Southampton Six. Other dyes in this group include tartrazine and Allura red. These dyes are sometimes confused with each other because they are all used to create bright colours in processed foods.
Questions people ask about Carmoisine
What colour is carmoisine?
Carmoisine is a synthetic dye that produces a strong, bright red colour.
Where does the name carmoisine come from?
The name carmoisine refers to its red shade, and it is also called azorubine or E122.
What is carmoisine used for?
It is mainly used to colour processed foods and some medicines in the European Union.
Is carmoisine allowed in the United States?
Carmoisine is not approved for use in food in the United States and is no longer used in cosmetics or drugs there.
Does carmoisine have any health warnings?
Foods containing carmoisine in the EU must carry a label warning that it may affect activity and attention in children.
Good reading and sources
- Azorubine on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Azorubine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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