Food colours are additives, and in the EU every additive needs an authorisation and an E number before use. These notifications report colours that are not allowed in the food in question, or above the permitted amount.
277 notifications since 1 January 2020 named unauthorised colours, under 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 27 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 39 in the 365 days before, down 31%. 37% were border rejections and 16% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were the United States (35), China (21) and Türkiye (18). The product categories named most often were confectionery (50), cereals and bakery products (42) and non alcoholic beverages (31). The products named most often were soft drinks (24), snacks (21) and sweets (17).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Food colours, EFSA; Food additives, EFSA.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named unauthorised colours
The newest 25 of 277, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Information for follow up notified by Germany: unauthorised colours and labelling faults in snacks from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.9767, validated 3 November 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Ireland: unauthorised colours in snacks from the United States, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.9697, validated 30 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Germany: chlorpyrifos and unauthorised colours in sumac from Lebanon, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9521, validated 26 October 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Cyprus: unauthorised colours in rice from Malaysia, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.9512, validated 26 October 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Spain: pesticide residues and unauthorised colours in a mixed food product from India, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8679, validated 1 October 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Germany: unauthorised colours in cereal snacks from Afghanistan, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.7837, validated 4 September 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Malta: unauthorised colours in soft drinks from Taiwan, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.7634, validated 28 August 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Poland: unauthorised colours in maize from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6990, validated 6 August 2026.
- Alert notified by Germany: undeclared sulphites and unauthorised colours in dried fruit from Iran, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6603, validated 24 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Italy: unauthorised colours in bread from Italy, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.6078, validated 8 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Belgium: unauthorised colours in green tea from Vietnam, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.5984, validated 6 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Germany: unauthorised colours in sweets from Syria, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.5271, validated 15 June 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Belgium: unauthorised colours in palm oil from Ghana, risk decision serious, reference 2026.5185, validated 11 June 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Latvia: unauthorised colours and labelling faults in snacks from Afghanistan, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.4753, validated 29 May 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Italy: unauthorised colours in bread from Germany, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.4317, validated 18 May 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Belgium: unauthorised colours in a prepared dish or snack from Afghanistan, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.4113, validated 11 May 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Latvia: unauthorised colours in seaweed from Russia, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.3032, validated 9 April 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Cyprus: unauthorised colours in confectionery from Lebanon, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.2892, validated 5 April 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Italy: unauthorised colours and plant ingredients not allowed or found unsafe in sweets from Spain, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.2853, validated 2 April 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Belgium: unauthorised colours in instant noodles from the United Kingdom, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.1199, validated 24 March 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Czechia: unauthorised colours in confectionery from Colombia, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.0988, validated 5 February 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Ireland: unauthorised colours in soft drinks from Nigeria, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.0946, validated 4 February 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Germany: unauthorised colours in tea from Indonesia, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.0796, validated 30 January 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Sweden: unauthorised colours in tea from Thailand, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.0593, validated 23 January 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Germany: unauthorised colours in pickled vegetables from Syria, risk decision serious, reference 2026.0063, validated 6 January 2026.
Other additives and colours: an unauthorised additive, vitamins, minerals or other nutrients above safe levels, sulphites above the permitted level.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 54 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 32 |
| 2023 | 45 |
| 2024 | 52 |
| 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 25 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 102 | 37% |
| Alert | 25 | 9% |
| Information for follow up | 105 | 38% |
| Information for attention | 45 | 16% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 44 | 16% |
| Potentially serious | 17 | 6% |
| Potential risk | 61 | 22% |
| Not serious | 110 | 40% |
| Undecided | 39 | 14% |
| No risk | 6 | 2% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Soft drinks | 24 |
| Snacks | 21 |
| Sweets | 17 |
| Maize | 11 |
| Pickled vegetables | 11 |
| Cereal snacks | 6 |
| Chilli powder | 6 |
| Curry powder | 6 |
| Food colours | 6 |
| Breakfast cereals | 5 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 35 | 13% |
| China | 21 | 8% |
| Türkiye | 18 | 6% |
| Philippines | 16 | 6% |
| Thailand | 16 | 6% |
| India | 13 | 5% |
| Brazil | 11 | 4% |
| United Kingdom | 11 | 4% |
| Italy | 11 | 4% |
| Syria | 10 | 4% |
| Nigeria | 8 | 3% |
| Vietnam | 8 | 3% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Confectionery | 50 | 18% |
| Cereals and bakery products | 42 | 15% |
| Non alcoholic beverages | 31 | 11% |
| Fruit and vegetables | 28 | 10% |
| Prepared dishes and snacks | 25 | 9% |
| Herbs and spices | 24 | 9% |
| Other and mixed food products | 21 | 8% |
| Food additives and flavourings | 10 | 4% |
| Soups, sauces and condiments | 7 | 3% |
| Fish and fish products | 6 | 2% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 6 | 2% |
| Cocoa, coffee and tea | 4 | 1% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 32 | 12% |
| Spain | 27 | 10% |
| Germany | 23 | 8% |
| Italy | 21 | 8% |
| Cyprus | 17 | 6% |
| United Kingdom | 16 | 6% |
| Ireland | 15 | 5% |
| Poland | 14 | 5% |
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