Tannin
Function: Color
E181 is the European food-additive number for Tannin, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Tannin (E181) is a colour used as a food additive.
What is E181 used for?
Tannin (E181) 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 E181 safe or restricted?
E181 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” 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 E181 vegan or vegetarian?
Tannin (E181) 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 E181?
E181 appears in 78 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in wine, soda water / club soda and dietary supplements.
- Wine6
- Soda Water / Club Soda3
- Dietary Supplements3
- Black Tea3
- Ice Cream3
- Gelatin / Agar3
- Cranberry (Fresh)2
- Plain Yogurt2
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E181 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 E181
- What is E181?
- E181 is the E-number for Tannin, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Tannin (E181) is a colour used as a food additive.
- What is E181 used for?
- Tannin (E181) 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 E181?
- E181 appears in 78 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in wine, soda water / club soda and dietary supplements. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E181 vegan or vegetarian?
- Tannin (E181) 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 E181 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E181 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" 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 E181 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.