Riboflavin Tetrabutyrate (Vitamin B2 Tetrabutyrate) リボフラビン酪酸エステル（別名ビタミンB2酪酸エステル）

In Japan

• The butyric acid ester of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), used as a yellow coloring agent and as a fortifier to supplement nutrition. No standards for use have been set.
• When used as a coloring agent, the purpose name must be written alongside. The short names are “リボフラビン” (riboflavin), “ビタミンB2” (vitamin B2), and “V.B2” (vitamin B2), so it is written the same way as riboflavin.
• It is on the list of “additives considered to be used for nutritional fortification” (vitamins), and when used for nutritional fortification, labeling can be omitted (excluding foods for special dietary uses and foods with function claims).

Japan's standards for use

There are no standards for use that limit which foods or how much (the general standards for all additives still apply).

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.
• E101 in the EU covers riboflavin and riboflavin-5'-phosphate; the butyric acid ester is not included.

Sources

• List of Designated Additives — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
• Standards for use and storage of each additive — Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation (Japanese)
• EU food additive database (Japanese translation) — MAFF (Japanese)
• Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex
• 消費者庁「食品表示基準について」別添 添加物関係（1-1 簡略名・類別名、1-2 用途名併記、1-4 一括名の範囲、1-5 栄養強化の範囲） (Japanese)

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.

Other substances used as color, nutrient (fortification)

• β-Carotene
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Riboflavin 5'-Phosphate Sodium (Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate or Sodium Vitamin B2 Phosphate)
• Carrot Carotene