Food orange 2
A synthetic orange azo dye once used in foods, now banned for safety reasons
No single value: Food orange 2 is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, orange.
Food orange 2 is a synthetic orange dye that was once used to colour foods. Known as Orange GGN or E111 in Europe, it was banned in 1978 after studies found it could be harmful. Its colour and light absorption are close to Sunset Yellow, but it can be told apart by infrared analysis.
- Once used as food dye E111 in Europe
- Banned for food use since 1978 due to safety concerns
- Not approved by Codex Alimentarius
- Colour and absorption similar to Sunset Yellow
- Distinguished by its infrared spectrum
What colour is Food orange 2?
Food orange 2 is a man-made dye that gives an orange shade, once added to foods for colour. It belongs to the group of azo dyes, which are known for their vivid colours. Its appearance is similar to other orange food dyes, but it can be identified in the laboratory by its unique infrared spectrum.
Where does Food orange 2 come from?
The dye is also called Orange GGN or alpha-naphthol orange. In Europe, it was listed as E111. It was never approved by the Codex Alimentarius, the international food standards body. Its use in food was stopped in Europe from 1 January 1978 due to concerns about its safety.
How is Food orange 2 made?
Food orange 2 is a synthetic dye, meaning it is made through chemical processes in a laboratory. It is part of the azo dye family, which are created by joining certain chemical groups to produce strong colours. The dye is a disodium salt, making it water-soluble for use in foods.
Where Food orange 2 is used
This dye was once used to colour foods, giving them an orange appearance. It is no longer allowed for this purpose in Europe and is not accepted by international food standards. Its close match in colour to Sunset Yellow meant it was sometimes used in similar products.
Orange around the world
What the orange family means from country to country.
The lowest band of the flag is orange, often called apricot, after the national fruit. The constitution says it stands for the creative talent and hard work of the people.
Politics and protestNature and renewalPrideSource: Flag of ArmeniaThe flag is split corner to corner. The orange half stands for the Buddhist tradition, and the white dragon across the middle for purity.
Sacred and holySource: Flag of BhutanOn 30 September people wear orange shirts to remember the children sent to residential schools. Phyllis Webstad's new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at one.
Mourning and deathPolitics and protestGriefSource: National Day for Truth and ReconciliationOrange is also the colour of the New Democratic Party. Its sweep of Quebec seats in the 2011 election was called the Orange Wave.
Politics and protestSource: New Democratic PartyThe flag shows the island in copper orange on white. The colour recalls copper, which was mined here in ancient times and may have taken its name from Cyprus.
Politics and protestNature and renewalSource: Flag of CyprusThe orange stripe of the flag stands for Protestants, the followers of William of Orange. In Northern Ireland the Orange Order still marches each 12 July in orange sashes.
Politics and protestSource: Orange OrderShades and relatives of Food orange 2
Food orange 2 is often compared to Sunset Yellow, another orange food dye. Both have very similar absorption in visible and ultraviolet light, but can be told apart by their infrared spectra. Food orange 2 is now banned, while some other orange dyes remain in use.
Questions people ask about Food orange 2
What colour is Food orange 2?
Food orange 2 is an artificial dye that produces an orange colour, similar to other orange food dyes like Sunset Yellow.
Why is Food orange 2 banned in food?
It was banned in Europe in 1978 after toxicological studies showed it could be harmful, and it is not approved by international food standards.
What is another name for Food orange 2?
It is also called Orange GGN, alpha-naphthol orange, and was known as E111 in Europe.
How can Food orange 2 be told apart from similar dyes?
Although its colour and absorption are close to Sunset Yellow, it can be identified by its unique infrared spectrum.
Good reading and sources
- Orange GGN on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Orange GGN", 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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