Brilliant Black BN
A synthetic black dye used in foods and decorations, known as E151 in Europe
No single value: Brilliant Black BN is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, black.
Brilliant Black BN is a man-made black dye that dissolves in water and is mainly used to colour foods and decorations. It appears as a fine black powder or granules and is sold most often as a tetrasodium salt, though other forms exist. The dye is allowed in the European Union but not in the United States or Japan.
- Used as a black food dye in Europe (E151)
- Comes as a fine black powder or granules
- Made through chemical synthesis
- Not allowed in the United States or Japan
- Also called Food Black 1 and Naphthol Black
What colour is Brilliant Black BN?
Brilliant Black BN is a laboratory-made black dye that dissolves well in water. It is usually found as a fine powder or in small grains, most often in the form of a tetrasodium salt. Other versions use calcium or potassium. The dye is used to give a deep black colour, especially in foods and decorations.
Where does Brilliant Black BN come from?
The dye is a synthetic compound, not found in nature. It is known by several names, including Food Black 1 and Naphthol Black. The name 'Brilliant Black BN' refers to its strong, dark shade and its use as a food colourant. Its E number in Europe is E151.
How is Brilliant Black BN made?
Brilliant Black BN is made through chemical synthesis in factories. It is a type of diazo dye, which means it is created by joining two chemical groups called diazonium compounds. The result is a black powder that can be dissolved in water and used in various products.
Where Brilliant Black BN is used
This dye is added to a range of foods, such as sweets, desserts, ice cream, jams, soft drinks, and even fish paste and caviar. It is also used in food decorations and coatings. In some settings, it is used to stain certain animal by-products. Its use is regulated and allowed in the European Union, but not in the United States or Japan.
Black around the world
What the black family means from country to country.
Mourners wear plain black, called mofuku, to funerals, and men add a black tie. Condolence money goes in an envelope tied with black and white cord.
Mourning and deathGriefSource: Japanese funeralThe black eagle gives the country its own name for itself: Shqiperia is commonly read as the land of the eagles.
Politics and protestPrideSource: AlbaniaBlack and yellow were the colours of the Habsburg monarchy. They come from the black double-headed eagle on a gold ground used by the Holy Roman Emperors.
Royalty and powerSource: Flag of the Habsburg monarchyThe black upper half of the Aboriginal flag stands for the Aboriginal people of Australia.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Australian Aboriginal flagOn 21 February, Language Martyrs' Day, people wear black badges and black and white clothes and walk barefoot to the Shaheed Minar to honour those killed in 1952.
Mourning and deathPolitics and protestGriefSource: Bengali language movementThe black, yellow and red of the flag come from the arms of the Duchy of Brabant: a gold lion with red claws and tongue on black. They were raised in the 1830 revolution.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of BelgiumShades and relatives of Brilliant Black BN
Brilliant Black BN is also sold under other names, such as Black PN and Food Black 1. It can be found as different salts, including sodium, calcium, and potassium versions. These forms have similar colouring properties.
Questions people ask about Brilliant Black BN
What colour is Brilliant Black BN?
It is a deep black dye, used to give a strong black shade to foods and decorations.
Where does the name Brilliant Black BN come from?
The name refers to its intense black colour and its use as a food dye. It is also known as Food Black 1 and Naphthol Black.
Is Brilliant Black BN allowed everywhere?
No, it is approved for use in the European Union, but it is not permitted in the United States or Japan.
What is Brilliant Black BN made from?
It is a synthetic dye, produced in factories by combining certain chemical groups to form a black powder.
What foods might contain Brilliant Black BN?
It is found in items like sweets, desserts, ice cream, jams, soft drinks, and some fish products.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Brilliant Black BN", 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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