Silver (E174) — What You Need to Know
What Is Silver?
Silver (E174) is metallic silver used as a food coloring to provide a lustrous silver appearance to confectionery and cake decorations. Its use is extremely limited to decorative applications in luxury confectionery. Silver has antimicrobial properties and has been used in medicine for centuries.
What Is It Used For?
Used as a decorative food coloring for luxury confectionery, cake decorations, and sugar dragées. Provides an attractive metallic silver sheen for special occasion products.
Safety Assessment
EFSA could not establish an ADI due to insufficient toxicological data (2016 evaluation). However, the Panel noted that given the extremely low levels used in food decoration, exposure is negligible and unlikely to pose a safety concern. Silver has antimicrobial properties and is used in wound dressings. Excessive intake can cause argyria (permanent blue-gray skin discoloration), but this is not a realistic risk from food coloring use. Not approved by FDA for food use in the US.
Based on current evidence, Silver is rated Caution with a score of 6/10. This is 0.2 points above the average for colorings (5.8/10). Last reviewed by regulators: 2016.
Commonly Found In
Always check the label for E174 or 'Silver'
▶Chemical Information
Frequently Asked Questions about Silver
Quick Facts
- E-Number
- E174
- INS Number
- 174
- Category
- Colorings
- Origin
- Synthetic
- FDA Status
- Not approved for food use (approved for pharmaceutical use)
- EFSA Status
- No ADI established — insufficient toxicological data (2016 evaluation), but negligible exposure from food decoration
- ADI
- Not established mg/kg bw/day
- Last Review
- 2016
Related Additives
Other colorings in the same family