Brilliant Blue FCF (E133) — What You Need to Know
The score is an eNumbers.org editorial summary, not an official agency rating or medical advice. Start with the regulatory status and primary sources below.
What Is Brilliant Blue FCF?
Brilliant Blue FCF is a synthetic blue food dye also known in the United States as FD&C Blue No. 1. It is authorised for specified uses in the European Union and approved in the United States, with permitted categories and maximum levels defined by each jurisdiction.
What Is It Used For?
Produces bright blue and turquoise colors in foods and beverages. Often combined with Yellow No. 5 to produce green. Used in candy, ice cream, canned foods, and some beverages.
Regulatory & Editorial Context
Authorisation is use-specific: permitted food categories and maximum levels differ by jurisdiction. Hypersensitivity has been reported, but regulatory status should be checked against the current EU and FDA records rather than inferred from historic national lists.
eNumbers.org currently assigns Brilliant Blue FCF an editorial context label of Caution with a score of 5/10. This is 0.8 points below the database average for colorings (5.8/10). Dataset reference year: 2010.
This score is not issued by EFSA, FDA, WHO or another regulator.
Commonly Found In
Always check the label for E133 or 'Brilliant Blue FCF'
▶Chemical Information
Primary Sources
Source review: 2026-08-08Official references relevant to this page. Check the agency record for current permitted uses, limits and jurisdiction-specific wording.
- European Commission: EU Food Additives Database ↗EU authorisations and conditions of use
- WHO / FAO JECFA: JECFA food-additives database ↗International evaluations and acceptable daily intakes
- European Food Safety Authority: Food colours ↗EFSA colour-additive evaluations and re-evaluation programme
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Food Additive Status List ↗U.S. food-ingredient regulatory references
Frequently Asked Questions about Brilliant Blue FCF
Quick Facts
- E-Number
- E133
- INS Number
- 133
- Category
- Colorings
- Origin
- Synthetic
- FDA Status
- Approved as FD&C Blue No. 1
- EFSA Status
- EU-authorised for specified food categories and conditions of use
- ADI
- 12.5 mg/kg bw/day
- Dataset Review
- 2010
Carriers, processing aids and product certification can change suitability. Verify the final label and certifier.
Related Additives
Other colorings in the same family