Red 2G
Function: Color
E128 is the European food-additive number for Red 2G, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Red 2G (E128) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E128 used for?
Red 2G (E128) 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 E128 safe or restricted?
E128 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 E128 vegan or vegetarian?
Red 2G (E128) 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 E128?
E128 appears in 12 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in aperitif, chocolate chips / baking chocolate and hard candy.
- Aperitif1
- Chocolate Chips / Baking Chocolate1
- Hard Candy1
- Candy & Sweets1
- Marshmallow1
- Chocolate Truffles / Pralines1
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E128 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 E128
- What is E128?
- E128 is the E-number for Red 2G, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Red 2G (E128) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E128 used for?
- Red 2G (E128) 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 E128?
- E128 appears in 12 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in aperitif, chocolate chips / baking chocolate and hard candy. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E128 vegan or vegetarian?
- Red 2G (E128) 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 E128 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E128 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 E128 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.