Quinoline Yellow (E104) — 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 Quinoline Yellow?
Quinoline Yellow is a synthetic coal tar dye that produces a dull yellow to greenish-yellow color. It is not approved in the United States or Australia but is permitted in the EU where it requires a hyperactivity warning label on products containing it.
What Is It Used For?
Used to color foods, beverages, and cosmetics. Found in some confectioneries, smoked fish, and food supplements in countries where it is approved.
Exposure figures are population-level references, not personal limits. Actual intake varies by diet, product and jurisdiction.
Regulatory & Editorial Context
Part of the 'Southampton Six' colorings linked to hyperactivity in children in the 2007 McCann study. EU requires warning label: 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.' Not approved in many countries outside the EU.
eNumbers.org currently assigns Quinoline Yellow an editorial context label of Questionable with a score of 4/10. This is 1.8 points below the database average for colorings (5.8/10). Dataset reference year: 2020. The dataset's population estimate equals about 0.6% of the listed ADI.
This score is not issued by EFSA, FDA, WHO or another regulator.
Commonly Found In
Always check the label for E104 or 'Quinoline Yellow'
▶Chemical Information
Frequently Asked Questions about Quinoline Yellow
Quick Facts
- E-Number
- E104
- INS Number
- 104
- Category
- Colorings
- Origin
- Synthetic
- FDA Status
- Not approved
- EFSA Status
- Authorized (with hyperactivity warning label)
- ADI
- 0.5 mg/kg bw/day
- Dataset Review
- 2020
Carriers, processing aids and product certification can change suitability. Verify the final label and certifier.
Quick Links
Related Additives
Other colorings in the same family