Amaranth E123 food colour for industrial sourcing and formulation review.
Amaranth is a food-grade synthetic red azo colourant considered for visual identity, red shade development, batch-to-batch colour standardisation and selected food colour programs where permitted by the destination market. This page supports sourcing, specification comparison, supplier documentation review and quotation preparation for industrial food and beverage manufacturers.
Product identity
| Product | Amaranth |
|---|---|
| Common identification | Amaranth E123, Food Red 9, Acid Red 27 |
| Category | Colours & Colouring Foods |
| Function | Food colour / colour standardisation ingredient |
| E / INS number | E123 |
| CAS / identity | 915-67-3 |
| Chemical class | Synthetic water-soluble azo colourant |
| Typical shade | Red to bluish-red shade depending on concentration, food matrix, pH and process conditions |
| Typical form | Powder, granular dye, liquid solution, lake or dispersion grade where available |
| Primary buying concern | Correct regulatory status, colour strength, purity, heavy metals, subsidiary dyes, solubility, documentation and supplier traceability |
Application fit
Potential use areas may include food categories where the additive is permitted and technically suitable. Final approval depends on local legislation, finished-product category and customer policy.
- Beverages, syrups and beverage bases requiring a defined red shade
- Confectionery, jellies and sugar systems where colour uniformity is important
- Dairy desserts, dessert mixes and prepared toppings subject to market approval
- Sauces, fillings, coatings and processed foods requiring red colour correction
- Powder blends, dry mixes and premixes where dispersion and staining behaviour must be controlled
Technical overview
Amaranth E123 is used as a high-intensity red colour additive in selected industrial food systems where its use is legally permitted. In formulation work, it is normally evaluated for shade intensity, hue consistency, solubility, staining power, compatibility with acids, sugars, salts, preservatives, hydrocolloids and processing conditions. Buyers should confirm whether the required material is a water-soluble dye, aluminium lake, liquid solution, dry blend or customer-specific colour preparation.
For purchasing and formulation teams, the term “Amaranth” alone is not always enough to compare offers. Supplier proposals should be checked against colour strength, dye content, moisture, insoluble matter, particle size, ash, heavy metals, subsidiary dyes, microbiological limits, packaging format, shelf life, origin, manufacturing site, certification status and regulatory documentation. The intended destination country and food category should always be stated before pricing is finalized.
Industrial performance considerations
Colour strength and dosage
Colour performance is usually evaluated by shade intensity, tinting strength, absorbance, dilution behaviour and visual appearance in the final food matrix. Low usage levels may be sufficient in clear systems, while opaque, fatty or protein-rich matrices may require additional testing.
pH and formulation matrix
The final shade can be affected by acidity, buffering salts, sugar solids, proteins, hydrocolloids, minerals and other colourants. Beverage, confectionery and dairy-style systems should be tested under the actual production pH and processing sequence.
Solubility and dispersion
Water-soluble dye grades are typically selected for aqueous systems, while lake or dispersion forms may be considered for fat-containing coatings, dry blends, compressed products or applications where migration control is required.
Heat and process exposure
Thermal treatment, hot filling, pasteurisation, cooking, retorting, drying and storage temperature can influence finished-product appearance. Stability should be validated under the intended process and shelf-life conditions.
Light and packaging exposure
Colour fading can be accelerated by light, oxygen and transparent packaging. Product developers should evaluate packaging barrier, headspace, storage temperature and display-light exposure during stability testing.
Interaction with other colours
Amaranth may be blended with other permitted colours to adjust hue, brightness and cost-in-use. Any blend should be checked for local additive declaration, total colour dosage and compatibility with the target food matrix.
Typical specification parameters to compare
Before approving a supplier, request a current specification and compare it with your internal quality standard, customer specification and destination-market purity criteria. Common technical parameters may include:
- Colour strength, dye content or assay according to supplier method
- Appearance, shade, odour and physical form
- Moisture, volatile matter and water-insoluble matter
- Subsidiary dyes, uncombined intermediates and organic impurities where specified
- Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury or cadmium according to applicable limits
- Particle size, solubility, dissolution time and filtration behaviour where relevant
- Microbiological limits for powder or liquid preparations when required
- pH of solution, ash or inorganic salts when included in the supplier specification
- Batch coding, shelf life, retest period and recommended storage conditions
- Packaging type, net weight, pallet configuration and traceability format
Application-specific purchasing notes
Beverages and syrups
Confirm solubility, clarity, filtration compatibility, acid stability, preservative compatibility and shade stability under the target pH, Brix, carbonation, hot-fill or cold-fill process.
Confectionery and gels
Test colour distribution in sugar systems, pectin gels, gelatin gels, starch jellies, hard candy, gummies and coatings. Thermal exposure and acid addition sequence can affect final shade.
Desserts and dairy-style systems
Evaluate shade in protein-containing matrices, stabilizer systems and emulsified bases. Interactions with pH, heat treatment and storage may differ from clear aqueous systems.
Dry mixes and premixes
Check particle size, dusting, blend uniformity, staining, segregation risk, moisture sensitivity and compatibility with carriers, sugars, salts, acids, flavours and anticaking agents.
Coatings and fat-containing systems
If the application is low-moisture, oil-based or coating-based, confirm whether a lake, dispersion or pre-formulated colour system is more suitable than a water-soluble dye.
Colour replacement projects
When replacing another red colour, provide the current colour name, supplier grade, dosage, target shade, finished-product photo, pH, process conditions and label constraints.
Quality and regulatory review
Amaranth E123 should be reviewed by quality, regulatory and formulation teams before commercial use. A supplier offer does not confirm that the additive is permitted in the buyer’s destination market or final product category. Buyers should verify food additive authorization, maximum permitted use level, purity criteria, label declaration, warning statements where applicable, import conditions and customer-specific restrictions.
When the product is intended for export, private label manufacturing, retailer supply or contract manufacturing, the buyer should clarify whether the final customer accepts Amaranth E123. Some customers may maintain stricter internal colour policies than local legislation, especially for children’s foods, clean-label ranges, natural-colour positioning or brand-specific restricted-substance lists.
Documents to request
A complete document package helps quality, regulatory, purchasing and import teams evaluate supplier suitability before order placement. Depending on supplier availability and destination requirements, request:
- Product specification or technical data sheet
- Certificate of analysis for an available or representative batch
- Safety data sheet where applicable
- Food-grade statement and additive identity confirmation
- Origin statement and manufacturer or production-site information where available
- Allergen statement, GMO statement and irradiation statement
- Heavy metals declaration and purity criteria confirmation
- Halal, kosher or other certification documents where required and available
- Shelf-life, retest period and recommended storage conditions
- Packaging specification, label information and pallet configuration
- Market-specific declaration requested by the destination country or customer
- Shipping documents such as invoice, packing list and certificate of origin when applicable
Packaging, storage and handling
Amaranth colour products should be protected from moisture, contamination, direct sunlight, excessive heat and incompatible materials. Packaging may vary by supplier and grade, including cartons, fibre drums, bags, inner liners, bottles, jerrycans or liquid containers. For industrial use, confirm net weight, pallet count, closure system, tamper evidence, batch coding and whether the packaging is suitable for long-distance export shipments.
Dry colour powders can be highly staining and should be handled with appropriate plant hygiene controls. Manufacturing teams should consider dust control, controlled weighing areas, dedicated utensils, protective equipment, spill-management procedures and cleaning validation where colour carryover could affect other products.
Commercial sourcing factors
MOQ and order size
Minimum order quantities may differ for powder, liquid, lake, sample, trial, pallet or full-container supply. Include trial demand and annual forecast to support realistic pricing.
Lead time and availability
Lead time depends on supplier stock, batch availability, documentation, export route, packaging, certification requirements and destination-country import procedures.
Price comparison
Compare offers by colour strength, active dye content, usable dosage, document package, shelf life, packaging, transport cost and regulatory suitability rather than unit price alone.
Incoterms and shipping
State the preferred delivery term such as EXW, FCA, FOB, CFR, CIF, CPT, DAP or DDP, plus delivery port, city, warehouse or forwarder details if available.
How to request this product
Send the product name, E number, target grade, colour strength, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, intended application, delivery term, expected shipment date and required documents. If you already purchase Amaranth, attach or describe your existing specification, label declaration, certificate of analysis or supplier grade so options can be compared more accurately.
Useful answers for Amaranth E123 sourcing.
What is Amaranth used for in food manufacturing?
Amaranth E123 is typically discussed for red shade development, visual identity, colour standardisation and batch-to-batch colour consistency in selected food and beverage systems where permitted. Exact suitability depends on grade, application, pH, process, regulation and supplier documentation.
Is Amaranth a natural colour?
No. Amaranth E123 is generally treated as a synthetic azo food colour. If a natural-colour or colouring-food solution is required, the inquiry should clearly state that restriction so alternative options can be reviewed.
Can Global Food Additives source Amaranth?
Global Food Additives can review sourcing options for Amaranth according to target specification, colour strength, quantity, destination, packaging, delivery term and required documentation.
Which documents should be requested?
Buyers commonly request a technical data sheet or specification, certificate of analysis, safety data sheet where applicable, origin statement, shelf-life information, storage guidance, allergen and GMO statements, packaging details and market-specific declarations.
Is this product permitted in every country?
No. Food additive use depends on destination-market rules, food category, maximum use level, purity criteria, label requirements and buyer responsibility. Regulatory status must be checked before use or import.
What is important when comparing suppliers?
Compare colour strength, dye content, purity criteria, heavy metals, subsidiary dyes, solubility, physical form, packaging, batch traceability, shelf life, lead time, origin, certifications and document availability.
Can Amaranth be supplied as a lake or dispersion?
Some colour programs may require lake, dispersion or liquid preparations rather than a standard water-soluble powder. Availability depends on supplier capability, regulation, application, MOQ and destination requirements.
What should I include in a quotation request?
Include product name, E number, CAS number, target grade, colour strength, intended application, food category, quantity, annual demand, destination country, packaging preference, Incoterms, shipment timing and required documents.
Request Amaranth E123 with the right technical and commercial details.
Send your required grade, colour strength, physical form, application, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, delivery term and document requirements. Our team will review your inquiry and respond from orders@foodgradeadditives.com.
If you are replacing an existing colour, include the current supplier grade, dosage, specification, certificate of analysis, finished-product type, target shade and any local regulatory or customer restrictions.
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