Allura Red AC

Allura Red AC (E129), known in the United States as FD&C Red No. 40, is one of the most widely used synthetic red food dyes in the world. It produces a bright orange-red colour in solution and is found in soft drinks, confectionery, snack foods, cereals, desserts, sauces, and a broad range of processed food products. It is the disodium salt of a complex naphthalene azo compound and is distinguished from other red azo dyes by its orange-red rather than deep red hue.

JECFA evaluated Allura Red AC in 1982 and established an ADI of 0–7 mg per kg body weight per day, equivalent to 420 mg daily for a 60 kg adult. No EFSA numerical ADI is recorded for Allura Red in the EFSA OpenFoodTox 3.0 database. EFSA has conducted re-evaluations of Allura Red as part of its systematic food colour review programme, though a finalised updated ADI is not reflected in the current database.

Allura Red AC is one of the six azo dyes associated with the 2007 Southampton study (McCann et al., The Lancet) and is subject to the EU mandatory warning label under Regulation (EC) 1333/2008. It is permitted in the EU, United States, Japan, South Korea, and most major markets, yet under ongoing scrutiny. US regulatory bodies are reviewing synthetic food dye approvals as of 2024–2025, with some US states enacting or proposing restrictions on synthetic colours in school food settings.