Brilliant Black BN
أسود لامع BN
Colour (synthetic azo dye)
A black dye with scary lab signals that didn't pan out - but kids can overshoot the limit.
Why this verdict
Black bis-azo dye. EFSA 2010 kept ADI 5 mg/kg; in-vitro micronucleus/Comet positive but negative in long-term carcinogenicity (not expected to be carcinogenic). Children under 10 at the 95th percentile can reach ~6.9 mg/kg (above ADI). Not a Southampton dye. Caution; child exposure flag; not US-approved.
What It Is
A synthetic black azo dye used to deepen colour in sauces, blackcurrant products, and confectionery. Not permitted in US food.
Here's a textbook case of why context matters: in lab dishes, Brilliant Black flagged positive in two genotoxicity tests - which sounds alarming. But in actual long-term animal studies it caused no cancer, so EFSA concluded those test-tube signals don't translate into real-world risk and kept the ADI at 5 mg/kg. The practical flag isn't cancer - it's that heavy-consuming children under 10 can tip over that daily limit. Not allowed in US food, and like all these dyes, purely decorative.
Evidence & Status
IARC Carcinogen Group
Not classified
Acceptable Intake
ADI 5 mg/kg bw/day (EFSA 2010)
EU Status
Approved (ADI 5 mg/kg, EFSA 2010)
US · FDA Status
NOT approved for food use in the US
Halal Status: Halal
Synthetic dye (no animal source); halal and vegan.
Worth Knowing
Also Known As
E 151 · Brilliant Black PN · Black PN · CI Food Black 1
Primary Source
Evidence, not medical advice. You decide.
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