Amaranth
Function: Artificial Color
E123 is the European food-additive number for Amaranth, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Amaranth (E123) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E123 used for?
Amaranth (E123) 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 E123 safe or restricted?
E123 is banned or severely restricted in one or more jurisdictions. Forkin classifies it as “Severely restricted” 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 E123 vegan or vegetarian?
Amaranth (E123) 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 E123?
E123 appears in 91 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in gelatin / agar, protein powder / shake and sausages.
- Gelatin / Agar6
- Protein Powder / Shake3
- Sausages3
- Jelly Beans2
- Amaranth2
- Instant Noodles2
- Corn Snacks2
- Cakes2
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E123 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 E123
- What is E123?
- E123 is the E-number for Amaranth, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Amaranth (E123) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E123 used for?
- Amaranth (E123) 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 E123?
- E123 appears in 91 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in gelatin / agar, protein powder / shake and sausages. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E123 vegan or vegetarian?
- Amaranth (E123) 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 E123 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E123 is banned or severely restricted in one or more jurisdictions. Forkin classifies it as "Severely restricted" 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 E123 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.