E102 - Tartrazine
By the Daat team · Updated October 30, 2026
E102, tartrazine, is a synthetic lemon-yellow dye.
You will mostly find it in sweets, brightly coloured drinks and desserts. Mixed with a blue dye it makes green.
Tartrazine is one of six colours that trigger a mandatory EU label warning: "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". The rule dates from 2010, after a study at the University of Southampton.
In Daat’s catalog we found E102 in 84 of 16,831 products (0.5%), mostly in chocolate and sweets and drinks.
E102 at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Tartrazine |
| Function | Colour |
| Origin | Plant, mineral or synthetic |
| Vegan / vegetarian | Yes / Yes |
Is E102 vegan?
Yes. E102 has no animal source, so it suits both vegans and vegetarians.