Additives
Alkannin (E103): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Limited risk
Colour · Natural colour
Alkannin is a red naphthoquinone pigment extracted from the root of dyer's alkanet, Alkanna tinctoria. It is fat-soluble and shifts from red in acid to blue in alkaline conditions, and has historically coloured fats, oils and waxes. It is not on the EU/UK list of permitted food colours, and its food-safety database is limited.
- Category
- Colour — Natural colour
- Typically used in
- Historically fats, oils, waxes and some alcoholic drinks; not authorised for food in the EU/UK.
- Regulatory status
- Not authorised as a food colour in the EU/UK; permitted in some other countries.
Scrannr flags Alkannin automatically when you scan a barcode.
Sources
Where this comes from
- Food Standards Agency (2024) — Approved additives and E numbers https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/approved-additives-and-e-numbers
Products
Products containing Alkannin
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Alkannin, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
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