Ponceau 4R
Decode Label flags Ponceau 4R as a moderate concern in food and drink (artificial additive). It appears in 7 of the 912 published products we have analysed (0.8%).
The concern
Synthetic azo colour - EU requires a child-activity warning on the pack
Ponceau 4R (E124) is a synthetic azo dye and one of the six Southampton-study colours. The EU requires foods containing it to carry the child-activity warning. Some people with aspirin or azo-dye sensitivity react to it. It is not permitted in every market (for example it is not an approved food colour in the United States).
Most relevant to
Cited authority
EU Regulation 1333/2008 Annex V (mandatory warning: "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children"); McCann et al., Lancet 2007; EFSA re-evaluation of food colours (2009)
Linked sources: EU-CosIng → EU →
How common it is in this catalogue
Measured across every product Decode Label has analysed — not estimated, and not taken from anyone else's dataset.
By category
Regulatory position
From the published regulation itself. Each row links to its source.
| Authority | Status | Reference | Scope / limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU-CosIng | Permitted | Annex IV 35 | — | View → |
Hazard classification
Identity
- Canonical name
- Ponceau 4R
- CAS number
- 2611-82-7
- EC number
- 220-036-2
- E number
- E124
- INS number
- 124
Also appears on labels as
Questions
Is Ponceau 4R safe?
EU: EU Reg. 1333/2008 Annex V — mandatory warning. Why it is flagged: Synthetic azo colour - EU requires a child-activity warning on the pack. Decode Label treats it as a moderate concern in food and drink. It appears in 7 of the 912 published products we have analysed (0.8%).
How common is Ponceau 4R in Indian packaged products?
Decode Label found Ponceau 4R in 7 of 912 published products (0.8%), most often in Bath & Body, Food, Haircare.
Which authorities have classified Ponceau 4R?
EU — EU Reg. 1333/2008 Annex V — mandatory warning.
Is Ponceau 4R restricted or banned anywhere?
Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (CosIng), Ponceau 4R has 1 permitted entry. Each is shown with its annex reference and a link to the source in the Regulatory position table.
Who should be most careful with Ponceau 4R?
Children; People prone to allergies.
Products containing Ponceau 4R
7 published products, each with its own full analysis.
Related ingredients
Other entries in the register with the same kind of concern.
Method and limits
- Prevalence counts published products whose decoded ingredient list matches this substance or one of its label synonyms, using the same matching the score itself uses. It describes our catalogue of 912 products, not the Indian market as a whole.
- Presence is not dose. An ingredient list gives order, not quantity, unless the pack declares a percentage. Nothing here estimates how much of this substance any product contains.
- A classification is not a verdict on a product. An agency classifies a substance under defined conditions of exposure; whether that matters in a given food or cosmetic depends on route, concentration and use.
- Last updated. This register entry was last changed on 3 November 2026.
- Corrections. Every figure here is reproducible from the sources named. If something is wrong, tell us and we will correct it and say what changed.