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E131 Patent Blue V – Food Colorant Explained

E131 (Patent Blue V) is a synthetic blue food colorant approved in the EU, used to give foods and beverages an intense blue color.

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Things worth knowing about "E131"

E131 (Patent Blue V) is a synthetic blue food colorant approved in the EU, used to give foods and beverages an intense blue color.

What is E131 (Patent Blue V)?

E131, commonly known as Patent Blue V (also CI 42051 or Food Blue 5), is a synthetic triarylmethane dye approved as a food additive in the European Union. It is used to give foods, beverages, and pharmaceutical products an intense blue to blue-green color. The dye is water-soluble and belongs to the triphenylmethane dye group.

Origin and Production

E131 is produced synthetically from petrochemical raw materials and does not occur naturally in foods. It is manufactured as a sodium salt in powder form and dissolves easily in water. There is no natural equivalent of this dye found in nature.

Use in Food Products

Patent Blue V is used in a wide range of foods and beverages, including:

Confectionery and sweets
Soft drinks and lemonades
Ice cream and desserts
Decorations and coatings for baked goods
Alcoholic beverages

In medicine, E131 is also used as a diagnostic dye, for example to visualize lymph nodes during surgical procedures such as sentinel lymph node biopsies.

Regulatory Status

In the European Union, E131 is approved under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, but only for specific food categories and within defined maximum limits. In the United States, Patent Blue V is not approved by the FDA as a food colorant, though it may be used in certain medical applications. Its approval status is similarly restricted in several other countries outside the EU.

Safety and Possible Side Effects

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated E131 and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI). However, some potential adverse effects have been noted:

Allergic reactions: In sensitive individuals, allergic reactions such as skin rashes, itching, or, in rare cases, anaphylactic shock have been reported.
Cross-reactivity: People with aspirin intolerance or known allergies to other azo dyes may potentially also react to E131, although E131 itself is not an azo dye.
Effects in children: As with other synthetic food dyes, there is ongoing discussion about possible effects on hyperactivity in children, though E131 is not explicitly included in the Southampton Six group of dyes that require warning labels in the EU.

Labeling Requirements

Under EU regulations, foods containing E131 must list this colorant in the ingredient list by its E number or its name (Patent Blue V). Consumers wishing to avoid food additives can check product labels accordingly.

References

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Patent Blue V (E 131) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 2013;11(3):3127. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3127
European Commission: Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives.
Saltmarsh M. (ed.): Essential Guide to Food Additives. 4th edition. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2013.

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