Ingredient · Colour
Riboflavin
E-number E101
Also known as: E101, vitamin B2
Riboflavin (E101) is vitamin B2 - an essential nutrient used as a natural yellow food colour.
Riboflavin is vitamin B2, needed by the body for energy metabolism, and it's also used to tint drinks and foods yellow-orange. EFSA re-evaluated it as a food colour and found no safety concern at typical use levels. It's safe to consume and even nutritionally beneficial in normal amounts.
Why it matters
Riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, is a nutrient your body needs to turn food into energy and to keep skin, eyes and nerves healthy. As E101, it's added to foods and drinks mainly to give them a yellow colour, not just for its vitamin content. Because it's a normal part of the diet (found in milk, eggs, and leafy greens), your body already knows how to handle it. Almost nobody needs to worry about it, whether it's added as a vitamin supplement ingredient or as a colouring.
Sources (2)
- 1.EFSA Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of riboflavin (E 101i) and riboflavin-5'-phosphate sodium (E 101ii) as food additives(dx.doi.org)
- 2.Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives
