Black iron oxide
Function: Color
E172I is the European food-additive number for Black iron oxide, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Black iron oxide (E172i) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E172I used for?
Black iron oxide (E172I) 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 E172I safe or restricted?
E172I is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as “Under monitoring” 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 E172I vegan or vegetarian?
Black iron oxide (E172I) 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 E172I?
E172I appears in 15 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in omega-3 / fish oil, dietary supplements and hard cheese.
- Omega-3 / Fish Oil3
- Dietary Supplements3
- Hard Cheese2
- Zinc1
- Chocolate Candy1
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E172I 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 E172I
- What is E172I?
- E172I is the E-number for Black iron oxide, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Black iron oxide (E172i) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E172I used for?
- Black iron oxide (E172I) 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 E172I?
- E172I appears in 15 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in omega-3 / fish oil, dietary supplements and hard cheese. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E172I vegan or vegetarian?
- Black iron oxide (E172I) 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 E172I safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E172I is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as "Under monitoring" 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 E172I — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.