E104Colour
Quinoline yellow
What the research shows
Concerning
in animal and lab studies only
Used in food as a colour.
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- EU permitted with restrictions
What research says
Animal and lab studies only
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Concern
DNA damage in cells1
In lab and plant studies, Quinoline yellow showed genotoxic effects, meaning it damaged DNA.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
What expert reviews concluded
Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.
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UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 2016
Acceptable daily intake: up to 3 mg per kg of body weight.
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.
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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 checkProducts
The most-scanned of 36 products on Open Food Facts that list quinoline yellow.
- Schweppes Schweppes 4 additives
References
- 1Macioszek VK, Kononowicz AK. The evaluation of the genotoxicity of two commonly used food colors: Quinoline Yellow (E 104) and Brilliant Black BN (E 151). Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2004;9(1):107-22.