Tartrazine

(Redirected from Yellow 5)

Yellow 5 redirects here. For the rock band, see Yellow #5.

Tartrazine (otherwise known as E102 or FD&C Yellow 5) is a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye used as a food colouring. It is found in fruit squash, fruit cordial, coloured fizzy drinks, instant puddings, cake mixes, custard powder, soups, sauces, ice cream, ice lollies, sweets, chewing gum, marzipan, jam, jelly, marmalade, mustard, yogurt and many convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products. It may be found in the shells of medicinal capsules. It can also be used with E133 Brilliant Blue FCF or E142 Green S to produce various green shades (e.g. for tinned processed peas).

It appears to cause the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly amongst those with an aspirin intolerance and asthmatics. Reactions can include migraine, blurred vision, itching, rhinitis, urticaria and purple skin patches (because of this more use is now being made of E160b, Annatto).

There is an urban legend that the tartrazine in Mountain Dew causes shrinkage of testicles. This legend is false, tartrazine has been deemed safe and used since 1917.