Brilliant Black BN
Function: Artificial Color
E151 is the European food-additive number for Brilliant Black BN, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Brilliant Black BN (E151) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E151 used for?
Brilliant Black BN (E151) 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 E151 safe or restricted?
E151 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 E151 vegan or vegetarian?
Brilliant Black BN (E151) 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 E151?
E151 appears in 164 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in caviar / fish roe, food coloring / decorations and flavored syrups.
- Caviar / Fish Roe26
- Food Coloring / Decorations15
- Flavored Syrups9
- Marshmallow8
- Chocolate Candy7
- Hard Candy7
- Marzipan4
- Gingerbread3
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E151 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 E151
- What is E151?
- E151 is the E-number for Brilliant Black BN, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Brilliant Black BN (E151) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E151 used for?
- Brilliant Black BN (E151) 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 E151?
- E151 appears in 164 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in caviar / fish roe, food coloring / decorations and flavored syrups. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E151 vegan or vegetarian?
- Brilliant Black BN (E151) 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 E151 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E151 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 E151 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.