beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Amaranth

CAS 642-59-1 · 100/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 4 other CAS numbers

11139-84-7 · 12000-49-6 · 23307-89-3 · 915-67-3

Concern score

100/100Critical concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Amaranth in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Acid red 27”.
Also known as Acid red 27 · Acid red 27 aluminum lake · CI 16185 · Amaranth (dye) · Amaranth dye · FD&C red no. 2 (delisted)
Show all 27 names
CI food red 9 · Naphtol rot s · AKA2 · Amaranth (e 123) · C.I. 16185 · C.I. acid red 27 · C.I. food red 9 · Ci-food red 9 · Naphtol rot s. · Red no. 2 · C.I. Acid Red 27, trisodium salt · CI-(1975)NO.16185 · E-123 · FD & C Red No. 2 · Ins NO.123 · INS-123 · amaranth cl 16185 · amaranth red dye (c20h11n2na3o10s3) · azorubin s · dye red raspberry · red dye nr. 2
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a colourant and a hair dye. Acid Red 27 is classed chemically as a monoazo colour.
Colorant
Hair dyeing
Colour
Colourant
Is it a concern?: Critical concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is banned in EU cosmetics.

Why it's flagged

Trisodium 3-hydroxy-4-(4'-sulphonatonaphthylazo)naphthalene-2,7-disulphonate (Acid Red 27; CI 16185) when used as a substance in hair dye products is prohibited in cosmetic products under Annex II of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

RestrictedEU EC — banned

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.

In marketed US drugs
EU Annex II — prohibited
EU Annex IV — permitted colorant
EU permitted colorant
EU prohibited in cosmetics
Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Industrial

EUEC
Annex II of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances prohibited in cosmetic products.
banned
View source →

USFDAinactive ingredient database12 entries — 3 administration routes
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: LIQUID; Potency: NASource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.11 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 0.1 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SYRUP; Potency: 0.03 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 0.48 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, COATED; Potency: 0.02 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Potency: 0.01 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SHAMPOO; Potency: 0.57 %w/wSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 1.08 mgSource →
- Route: BUCCAL; Dosage form: TROCHE; Potency: 0.05 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: ELIXIR; Potency: 1.88 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: 0.18 mgSource →
EUCosIngActive4 entries
- Acid Red 27 is classed chemically as a monoazo colour. It conforms to the formula: Restriction: II/1350 (Acid Red 27; CI 16185: when used as a substance in hair dye products)Source →
- CI 16185 is classed chemically as a monoazo colour. It conforms to the formula: Restriction: IV/33 (CI 16185) II/1350 (Acid Red 27; CI 16185: when used as a substance in hair dye products)Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex IV / ref 33.Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex II / ref 1350.Source →
EUEFSAEFSA opinion2 entries
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Amaranth (E 123) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)Source →
- Statement on Allura Red AC and other sulphonated mono azo dyes authorised as food and feed additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
EUECallowed_listedAnnex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products. Conditions of use and warnings: Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E 123)
- Annex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products. Conditions of use and warnings: Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E 123)Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFA0-0.5 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-0.5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-0.5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 78 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Cleaning products and household care, Personal care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Dye.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 78 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Cleaning products and household care, Personal care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Dye.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 3 active drug products and 3 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 3 active drug products and 3 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of Amaranth (E 123) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)
  2010 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Statement on Allura Red AC and other sulphonated mono azo dyes authorised as food and feed additives (EFSA ANS)
  2013 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-0.5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Amaranth yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2020-08-13
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated January 7, 2008
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2026-12-31
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →

Reference links (2)

Openfda substance

en.wikipedia.org

Read →

Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Amaranth in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

Named organisations

Laboratory suppliesCleaning products and household carePersonal careFurniture and furnishings

Typical roles

ColorantHair dyeingColourColourant

See products using Amaranth →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Amaranth; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 25 →Find products without it →