Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A)
Function: Artificial Color
E124 is the European food-additive number for Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A), a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) (E124) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E124 used for?
Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) (E124) 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 E124 safe or restricted?
E124 faces restrictions under EU rules on how, where, or in what quantities it may be used. Forkin classifies it as “Restricted use” 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 E124 vegan or vegetarian?
Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) (E124) 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 E124?
E124 appears in 583 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in flavored syrups, chocolate candy and food coloring / decorations.
- Flavored Syrups45
- Chocolate Candy24
- Food Coloring / Decorations15
- Hard Candy15
- Chocolate Truffles / Pralines14
- Protein Powder / Shake12
- Pastry11
- Flavored Yogurt9
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E124 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 E124
- What is E124?
- E124 is the E-number for Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A), a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) (E124) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E124 used for?
- Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) (E124) 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 E124?
- E124 appears in 583 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in flavored syrups, chocolate candy and food coloring / decorations. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E124 vegan or vegetarian?
- Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) (E124) 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 E124 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E124 faces restrictions under EU rules on how, where, or in what quantities it may be used. Forkin classifies it as "Restricted use" 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 E124 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.