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Tartrazine is a synthetic lemon yellow azo dye primarily used as a food coloring. It is also known as E number E102, C.I. 19140, FD&C Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake, Acid Yellow 23, Food Yellow 4, and trisodium 1-(4-sulfonatophenyl)-4-(4-sulfonatophenylazo)-5-pyrazolone-3-carboxylate).

Tartrazine is a commonly used color all over the world, mainly for yellow, and can also be used with brilliant blue FCF (FD&C Blue 1, E133) or green S (E142) to produce various green shades.

Foods

Easter eggs dyed with tartrazine

Many foods contain tartrazine in varying proportions, depending on the manufacturer or person preparing the food. When in food, tartrazine is typically labelled as "color", "tartrazine", or "E102".

Products containing tartrazine commonly include processed commercial foods that have an artificial yellow or green color, or that consumers expect to be brown or creamy looking. It has been frequently used in the bright yellow coloring of imitation lemon filling in baked goods.

The following is a list of foods that may contain tartrazine:

Desserts and confectionery: ice cream, ice pops and popsicles, confectionery and hard candy (such as gummy bears, Peeps marshmallow treats, etc.), cotton candy, instant puddings and gelatin (such as Jell-O), cake mixes, pastries (such as Pillsbury pastries), custard powder, marzipan, biscuits, and cookies.

Beverages: soft drinks (such as Mountain Dew), energy and sports drinks, powdered drink mixes (such as Kool-Aid), fruit cordials, and flavored/mixed alcoholic beverages.

Snacks: flavored corn chips (such as Doritos, nachos, etc.), chewing gum, popcorn (both microwave and cinema-popped), and potato chips.

Condiments and spreads: jam, jelly (including mint jelly), marmalade, mustard, horseradish, pickles (and other products containing pickles such as tartar sauce and dill pickle dip), and processed sauces.
Other processed foods: cereal (such as corn flakes, muesli, etc.), instant or "cube" soups, rices (like paella, risotto, etc.), noodles , pureed fruit and pickled peppers, bright-green-colored seaweed salad.
Personal care and cosmetics products
A number of personal care and cosmetics products may contain tartrazine, usually labelled as CI 19140 or FD&C Yellow 5, including:

Liquid and bar soaps, green hand sanitizer, moisturizers and lotions, mouth washes, perfumes, toothpastes, and shampoos, conditioners and other hair products.

Cosmetics, such as eyeshadow, blush, face powder and foundation, lipstick, etc. – even those that are primarily pink or purple.

Nail polish, nail polish remover, temporary tattoos, and tanning lotions.
Medications
Various types of medications include tartrazine to give a yellow, orange or green hue to a liquid, capsule, pill, lotion, or gel, primarily for easy identification. Types of pharmaceutical products that may contain tartrazine include vitamins, antacids, cold medications (including cough drops and throat lozenges), lotions and prescription drugs.

Most, if not all, medication data sheets are required to contain a list of all ingredients, including tartrazine. Some include tartrazine in the allergens alert section.

The Canadian Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (CPS), a prescribing reference book for health professionals, mentions tartrazine as a potential allergy for each drug that contains tartrazine.

Other products
Other products, such as household cleaning products, paper plates, pet foods, crayons, inks for writing instruments, stamp dyes, face paints, envelope glues, and deodorants, may also contain tartrazine.

Chemistry
Tartrazine is water-soluble and has a maximum absorbance in an aqueous solution at 425 nm. It is one of the oldest known member of the pyrazolone family of dyes.