Food additive databasecolorChecked 2026-10-02

Food Red No.105 (Rose Bengal) 食用赤色105号（別名ローズベンガル）

Designated additiveNot on the EU additive list

Purpose: color
On the label: “赤色105号” (Red No. 105), “赤105” (Red 105), “着色料（赤105）” (coloring (Red 105))
Name in the List of Designated Additives: 食用赤色105号（別名ローズベンガル） (No. 221)

In Japan

A red tar-based dye (also called Rose Bengal). Under the standards for use there is no upper limit on the amount, but it may not be used in designated foods such as castella sponge cake (kasutera), soy sauce, meat, fresh fish and shellfish, tea, legumes, miso, noodles, and vegetables.
Under the Food Labeling Standards, the short names “赤色105号” (Red No. 105) and “赤105” (Red 105) can be used, and if the labeled name contains the character “色”, the purpose name “着色料” (coloring) need not be written alongside.

Japan's standards for use

Foods in which it may not be used: castella sponge cake (kasutera), roasted soybean flour (kinako), pickled fish, pickled whale meat, kelp (kombu), soy sauce, meat, pickled meat, sponge cake, fresh fish and shellfish (including whale meat), tea, nori (laver), marmalade, legumes, miso, noodles (including wonton), vegetables, wakame

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

In the EU

It is not on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II), so it cannot be used as a food additive in the EU.
It is not listed in the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II), and its use as a food additive is not permitted.

When it is labeled under a shared name

Food Red No.105 (Rose Bengal) may be declared on the label in the same way as “合成着色料（タール色素）”. See Synthetic food colors (coal-tar dyes) for details.

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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