E131 Patent Blue V

E131ColorsOrigin: Lab-made

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The short answer

Patent Blue V (E131) is a synthetic blue used in Europe and not approved for food in the US or Canada. It does not carry the EU hyperactivity warning.

58/100

Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberE131

Comes fromLab-made

What it doesColors

Glycemic index—

Daily limit5 mg/kg

Also calledPatent Blue V, Patent blue

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive

🇪🇺 European UnionApproved

🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive

CaliforniaNo extra rules

Patent Blue V is authorized in the EU with a daily limit of 5 mg per kg of body weight, confirmed by EFSA in 2013. It is not approved as a food color in the US or Canada.

How much is too much? (Acceptable Daily Intake)

Body weight: 70 kg

350 mgper day is the safe upper limit

Based on 5 mg per kg of body weight (EFSA / JECFA). A 20 kg (44 lb) child: 100 mg a day.

What is it?

This dye gives a greenish blue that stays bright in acid foods. British and European makers use it in sweets, drinks and the casing color of some scotch eggs.

Where it comes from: Patent Blue V is a synthetic triarylmethane dye made in a chemical plant. It is a different molecule from Blue 1.

Why it’s in food

Colors blue candy
Blues drinks and ices
Tints some egg coatings
Mixes into green shades

Often found in

Boiled sweetsSoft drinksScotch eggsJellyCanned peas mixesIce cream

Also listed as: Patent Blue V, Patent blue, Acid Blue 3, CI 42051, Food Blue 5

Health & gut impact

Allergic reactionsUnder study

Case reports describe hives and, rarely, more serious reactions after Patent Blue V, including when it is used as a medical dye.

EFSA re-evaluation of Patent Blue V (2013)

Daily limitConcern

EFSA set the daily limit for Patent Blue V at 5 mg per kg of body weight and did not ask for a hyperactivity warning.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2013)

Blue foods without Patent Blue V

Clean-label swaps

Clean substitute

Butterfly pea flowers

Steep into a blue tea that turns purple with lemon.

Shop butterfly pea Opens your country’s Amazon store

Clean substitute

Spirulina powder

A blue-green powder for smoothies and frosting.

Shop spirulina powder Opens your country’s Amazon store

Clean grocery swap

Dye-free candy

Sweets colored with fruit, veg and spice extracts.

Shop dye-free candy Opens your country’s Amazon store

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes our ratings.

What can I use instead?

Spirulina extract

Ratio: To shade

Best for: Candy and frosting

Butterfly pea flower

Ratio: To shade

Best for: Drinks and rice

More colors:

Allura Red AC (Red 40) E129Red 40 (E129) is a petroleum-based dye. It's legal in the US and EU, but European packages must carry a warning about hyperactivity in children, and California is removing it from school food.Best to avoid Amaranth dye E123Amaranth dye (E123) is a synthetic red that the US banned in 1976. Europe still allows tiny uses. It is not the amaranth seed sold as a gluten-free grain.Best to avoid Ammonia caramel (Caramel III) E150cAmmonia caramel (E150c) is the caramel class made with ammonia and no sulfite, common in beer. It is approved, but like cola caramel it can contain 4-MEI, which California lists under Proposition 65.Use in moderation Annatto E160bAnnatto (E160b) is a natural orange color from achiote seeds. It's what makes cheddar orange. It's safe and vegan, though it's one of the few natural colors that can trigger allergies.Generally safe

Common questions

Is Patent Blue V the same as Blue 1?

No. Blue 1 is Brilliant Blue FCF (E133), which is allowed in US food. Patent Blue V (E131) is a different dye and is not.

Is Patent Blue V safe?

Use in moderation (58/100). Patent Blue V is authorized in the EU with a daily limit of 5 mg per kg of body weight, confirmed by EFSA in 2013. It is not approved as a food color in the US or Canada.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations

EFSA OpenFoodTox: E131
EFSA re-evaluation of Patent Blue V (2013)
EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2013)

INS 131 · CAS 3536-49-0