Food additive databasecolorChecked 2026-10-02

Aluminium アルミニウム

Existing food additivePermitted in the EU (E173)

Purpose: color
On the label: “着色料（アルミニウム）” (colorant (aluminium)), “着色料（アルミ末）” (colorant (aluminium powder))
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: アルミニウム (No. 24)
Source and production: The metal aluminium (Al). Alternative name: “アルミ末” (aluminium powder).

In Japan

The metal aluminium; its purpose in the List of Existing Food Additives is “着色料” (colorant). Its alternative name is “アルミ末” (aluminium powder).
Under the standards for use for colorants (excluding chemically synthesized ones), it cannot be used in kelp (konbu), meat, fresh fish and shellfish, tea, nori, beans, vegetables, or wakame seaweed. When used as a colorant, the purpose name must be shown with it.

Japan's standards for use

Standard common to colorants (excluding chemically synthesized ones): must not be used in kelp (konbu), meat, fresh fish and shellfish (including whale meat), tea, nori, beans, vegetables, and wakame seaweed.

This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.

In the EU

It is on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II) as E173.
In the EU, the foods where it can be used are limited to “the external coating of sugar confectionery for the decoration of cakes and pastries” (food category 05.4). Under an amendment in 2012 (Regulation (EU) No 380/2012), its use in other confectionery (food category 05.2) ended on February 1, 2014.
In the EU, E173 is one of the colorants that must not be sold directly to consumers.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.

This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.

Other substances used as color

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