Brilliant Black BN

Brilliant Black BN is a synthetic azo dye that produces a black or dark brown colour in food. It is used in products such as liquorice, blackcurrant-flavoured beverages, tapioca pearls, caviar substitutes, and some sauces, where a deep black or dark hue is required. Azo dyes derive their colour from a nitrogen–nitrogen double bond acting as the chromophore.

JECFA evaluated this dye in 1969. No specific numeric ADI is currently recorded for E151 in our data. Azo dyes as a class are metabolised in part by gut bacteria, releasing aromatic amines; the safety significance of this at typical food intake levels is actively monitored by EFSA.

Brilliant Black BN is banned in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Within the EU it is permitted in certain food categories, and products containing it alongside five other specified azo dyes must carry the warning: may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. Consumers who wish to avoid synthetic colourants should look for E151 on ingredient lists. Natural alternatives such as activated charcoal are increasingly used in premium products.