E124Colour

Ponceau 4r

What the research shows

Not enough

published research on this page yet

How we decide

A strawberry red colouring made in a lab.

It gives food a red colour.

Written from English Wikipedia1

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • EU permitted with restrictions

Regulatory status

Checked Sep 2026
  • European Union Permitted With restrictions EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008 With the exception of: (a) foods where the colour(s) has been used for the purposes of health or other marking on meat products or for stamping or decorative colouring on eggshells; and (b) beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol.
  • United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law

Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.

How we check

Products

The 6 most-scanned of 53 products on Open Food Facts that list ponceau 4r.

  • Original and Best IRN-BRU · 500 mL 5 additives
  • Original energy drink Lucozade · 500 ml 8 additives
  • Irn Bru Xtra A.G.Barr · 330 ml 6 additives
  • Lucozade Lucozade · 900 ml 8 additives
  • IRN-BRU A.G. Barr · 330 ml 4 additives
  • Irn-Bru Xtra Irn-Bru · 2 l 6 additives

References

  1. 1Ponceau 4R. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.