Orcein
Function: Food colours
E182 is the European food-additive number for Orcein, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Orcein (E182) is a food additive used as a food additive.
What is E182 used for?
Orcein (E182) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all Food colours (E-numbers).
Is E182 safe or restricted?
E182 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No known concern” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E182 vegan or vegetarian?
Orcein (E182) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E182?
E182 appears in 7 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Candy & Sweets, Chocolate Candy, and Sugar-Free Sweeteners.
- Candy & Sweets2
- Chocolate Candy1
- Sugar-Free Sweeteners1
- Fish & Seafood1
- Marshmallow1
- Processed Meat1
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E182 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E182
- What is E182?
- E182 is the E-number for Orcein, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Orcein (E182) is a food additive used as a food additive.
- What is E182 used for?
- Orcein (E182) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E182?
- E182 appears in 7 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in Candy & Sweets, Chocolate Candy, and Sugar-Free Sweeteners. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E182 vegan or vegetarian?
- Orcein (E182) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E182 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E182 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as ‘No known concern’ and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E182 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan and vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.