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Quinoline yellow (E104)
Quinoline yellow is a colour (yellow-green) used in soft drinks, sweets, smoked fish, sauces.. The EFSA acceptable daily intake is 0.5 mg per kg of body weight per day — about 30 mg a day for a 60 kg adult.
What it does
Southampton-six colour; same label warning as E102.
Where you meet it
Soft drinks, sweets, smoked fish, sauces.
What the ADI means in practice
30 mg per day is the figure for a 60 kg adult — multiply or divide for your own weight. EFSA derives ADIs with a safety margin of typically 100×, and they describe daily lifetime intake. A single day above the ADI does not translate to harm; a permanent diet above it is what the limit exists to prevent.
This page describes the general scientific position. Allergies and sensitivities are individual: if your body disagrees with an additive, avoid it regardless of any ADI.
Sources: EFSA — food additives re-evaluations · Open Food Facts — additives taxonomy · checked 2026-09-03
Frequently asked questions
What is Quinoline yellow (E104)?
Colour (yellow-green). Southampton-six colour; same label warning as E102. It is used in Soft drinks, sweets, smoked fish, sauces.
How much quinoline yellow is safe?
EFSA set the ADI at 0.5 mg per kg body weight per day — 30 mg per day for a 60 kg adult, every day for a lifetime. It is a long-run average, not a single-meal limit.
Should I avoid quinoline yellow?
For a healthy adult there is no reason to avoid it at typical intakes. If you have a diagnosed sensitivity or a health condition, your clinician's advice is the one that counts.
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