Erythrosine

Product Description

 
Name: Erythrosine
Molecular Formula: C20H6I4Na2O5
CAS Registry Number: 16423-68-0
 
Erythrosine is a cherry-pink synthetic fluorone food coloring. It is the disodium salt of 2,4,5,7-tetraiodofluorescein. Its maximum absorbance is at 530 nm[1] in an aqueous solution, and it is subject to photodegradation.[citation needed]
It is used as a food coloring, in printing inks, as a biological stain, a dental plaque disclosing agent and a radiopaque medium. It is commonly used in sweets and foods marketed to children such as cake icing and cake-decorating gels.[2][3] It is also used to color pistachio shells.[4] While commonly used in most countries of the world, erythrosine is rarely used in the United States due to its known hazards,[5] with Allura Red AC (Red #40) being generally used instead. However, Allura Red AC is banned in many European countries because it is an azo dye, despite the fact that it has fewer known health risks than Erythrosine.