Allura Red AC E129 for red shade development, colour strength and industrial colour standardisation.
Allura Red AC is a food-grade red colour additive considered for visual identity, shade development, colour correction and batch-to-batch colour standardisation where permitted by the destination market. This page supports industrial sourcing, dye and lake grade comparison, specification review, supplier documentation collection and quotation preparation for food and beverage manufacturers.
Product identity
| Product | Allura Red AC |
|---|---|
| Common identification | Allura Red AC E129, Food Red 17, FD&C Red 40 in some markets |
| Category | Colours & Colouring Foods |
| Function | Food colour / colouring food / colour standardisation ingredient |
| E / INS number | E129 |
| CAS / identity | 25956-17-6 |
| Material type | Synthetic red azo colourant for food applications where permitted |
| Typical shade | Bright red to orange-red shade depending on concentration, grade, pH, matrix and processing conditions |
| Typical form | Water-soluble powder, granular dye, liquid solution, aluminium lake or application-ready dispersion depending on supplier grade |
| Primary buying concern | Regulatory suitability, colour strength, dye content, shade consistency, solubility, purity criteria, heavy metals, subsidiary dyes, packaging and document availability |
Application fit
Potential use areas may include selected food categories where the colour is legally permitted and technically suitable. Final approval depends on local legislation, customer policy, finished-product category and label requirements.
- Beverages, syrups, beverage bases and powdered drink systems requiring a stable red shade
- Confectionery, gummies, hard candies, jellies, coatings and sugar decorations
- Dairy desserts, dessert mixes, frozen novelties and prepared toppings where permitted
- Sauces, fillings, fruit preparations and processed foods requiring red colour correction
- Snacks, seasoning systems, dry blends and coated products requiring shade standardisation
Technical overview
Allura Red AC E129 is typically evaluated as a high-strength synthetic red food colour for applications where a bright, consistent red or orange-red shade is required. It may be selected for colour intensity, repeatability, ease of standardisation, compatibility with acidic systems and cost-in-use advantages compared with some alternative colour systems. Performance depends on the selected grade, dye content, physical form, processing conditions, pH, light exposure, oxygen exposure, packaging and the composition of the finished food matrix.
In industrial purchasing, the product name alone is not enough to compare offers. Buyers should distinguish between straight dye powder, granular dye, liquid solution, aluminium lake, dispersion or custom colour blend. Supplier proposals should be evaluated by colour strength, dye content, shade, solubility, particle size, insoluble matter, moisture, subsidiary dyes, heavy metals, microbiological limits, shelf life, origin, batch traceability, packaging format and regulatory documentation.
Industrial performance considerations
Colour strength and dosage
Colour performance should be evaluated by shade intensity, dilution behaviour, absorbance, cost-in-use and appearance in the final product. A lower unit price is not always economical if the dye content or colour strength is lower.
pH and matrix stability
Finished shade can be affected by acidity, buffering salts, sugar solids, protein, hydrocolloids, minerals and other colourants. Test the colour in the actual formulation, especially for beverages, fruit systems and dairy-style products.
Dye versus lake grade
Water-soluble dye grades are normally considered for aqueous systems, while lake or dispersion grades may be more suitable for fat-containing coatings, compressed tablets, dry mixes or products where reduced migration is desired.
Heat and processing exposure
Hot filling, pasteurisation, cooking, baking, extrusion, drying and storage temperature can affect finished appearance. Validate colour stability under the intended process and shelf-life conditions.
Light and packaging exposure
Colour fading may be influenced by light, oxygen, transparent packaging and display conditions. Evaluate colour retention together with packaging material, headspace control and expected distribution temperature.
Blending with other colours
Allura Red AC can be used in colour blends where permitted to adjust hue, brightness and shade depth. Any blend should be reviewed for total colour dosage, label declaration and market-specific additive restrictions.
Typical specification parameters to compare
Before approving a supplier, request a current specification and compare it with your internal quality standard, customer specification and destination-market purity criteria. Common technical parameters may include:
- Food-grade identity, E number, CAS number and regulatory reference grade
- Colour strength, dye content, assay or absorbance value according to supplier method
- Appearance, shade, odour and physical form
- Solubility, dissolution time, filtration behaviour and insoluble matter
- Moisture, volatile matter and water-insoluble material
- Subsidiary dyes, uncombined intermediates and organic impurities where specified
- Heavy metal limits such as lead, arsenic, mercury or cadmium according to applicable criteria
- Particle size, dusting behaviour and flowability for powder or granular grades
- Carrier or substrate declaration for lake, liquid, dispersion or blend grades
- Microbiological limits for liquid preparations or customer-sensitive applications where required
- Batch coding, shelf life, retest period and recommended storage conditions
- Packaging type, net weight, closure system, inner liner, pallet configuration and traceability format
Application-specific purchasing notes
Beverages and syrups
For beverages, confirm solubility, clarity, filtration compatibility, acid stability, preservative compatibility, colour retention and shade under target pH, Brix, carbonation and hot-fill or cold-fill conditions.
Confectionery and gels
For gummies, hard candies, jellies and sugar systems, test colour distribution, heat exposure, acid addition point, gelation system, migration risk, surface staining and final shade after storage.
Dairy desserts and frozen products
For protein-containing or frozen systems, evaluate interaction with stabilizers, fat content, pH, heat treatment, freezing conditions, thaw stability and any customer restrictions on synthetic colours.
Sauces and fruit preparations
For sauces, fillings and fruit preparations, compare shade stability under acidity, heat, fruit solids, pectin, starch, minerals and packaging exposure. Colour correction should be validated after the full thermal process.
Dry mixes and seasoning systems
For powdered products, check particle size, flowability, dusting, blend uniformity, staining, humidity resistance and compatibility with salts, acids, sugars, flavours and anticaking agents.
Colour replacement projects
When replacing another red colour, provide the existing colour name, supplier grade, dosage, finished-product photos, target shade, pH, process conditions, label constraints and customer acceptance criteria.
Quality and regulatory review
Allura Red AC E129 should be reviewed by quality, regulatory and formulation teams before commercial use. A supplier quotation does not confirm that the additive is permitted in the buyer’s destination market or final product category. Buyers should verify food additive authorization, maximum permitted level, purity criteria, label declaration, possible market-specific warning statements, import conditions and customer-specific restrictions.
For export, private label manufacturing, retailer supply or contract manufacturing, buyers should confirm whether the final customer accepts Allura Red AC E129. Some brand owners or retailers may apply stricter policies than local legislation, especially for products positioned as natural, clean-label, child-focused, organic, minimally processed or free-from artificial colours.
Colour testing and plant trial guidance
A meaningful colour trial should use the real product matrix and full process conditions. Test the selected grade at multiple dosage levels, compare against the current standard, and evaluate shade immediately after production and after storage. Useful evaluation points include visual shade, L*a*b* colour values where available, turbidity, solubility, colour migration, surface staining, light stability, heat stability, pH stability and sensory neutrality.
For production scale-up, verify weighing accuracy, premixing method, dissolution sequence, filtration effect, staining of equipment, cleaning requirements, operator handling, dust generation and batch-to-batch consistency. For liquid colour preparations, check concentration, preservative system, sedimentation, viscosity, microbial specification and storage stability after opening.
Documents to request
A complete document package helps quality, regulatory, purchasing, formulation and import teams evaluate supplier suitability before order placement. Depending on supplier availability and destination requirements, request:
- Product specification or technical data sheet
- Certificate of analysis for an available or representative batch
- Safety data sheet where applicable
- Food-grade statement and additive identity confirmation
- Colour strength, dye content or assay method information
- Origin statement and manufacturer or production-site information where available
- Heavy metals declaration and purity criteria confirmation
- Subsidiary dye, intermediate or organic impurity statement where required
- Carrier or substrate declaration for lake, dispersion, liquid or blend grades
- Allergen statement, GMO statement, vegan statement and irradiation statement
- Halal, kosher or other certification documents where required and available
- Shelf-life, retest period and recommended storage conditions
- Packaging specification, label information and pallet configuration
- Market-specific declaration requested by the destination country or customer
- Shipping documents such as invoice, packing list and certificate of origin when applicable
Packaging, storage and handling
Allura Red AC may be supplied in foil bags, cartons, fibre drums, plastic drums, bottles, jerrycans or sealed industrial containers depending on grade and physical form. For export sourcing, confirm net weight, gross weight, closure type, inner liner, tamper evidence, pallet count, batch coding, expiry or retest date and whether packaging is suitable for long-distance transport.
Dry colour powders can be highly staining and should be handled with suitable plant hygiene controls. Manufacturing teams should consider controlled weighing areas, dust minimisation, dedicated utensils, protective equipment, spill-management procedures and cleaning validation where colour carryover could affect other products. Storage should protect the material from moisture, contamination, direct sunlight, excessive heat and damaged packaging.
Commercial sourcing factors
MOQ and order size
Minimum order quantities may differ for dye powder, lake, liquid colour, dispersion, sample, trial batch, carton, drum, pallet or full-container supply. Include first-order quantity and annual forecast to support realistic supplier matching.
Lead time and availability
Lead time depends on supplier stock, grade, colour strength, packaging, documentation, certification requirements, export route and destination-country import procedures.
Cost-in-use comparison
Compare offers by dye content, colour strength, required dosage, regulatory suitability, document package, shelf life, packaging format, cleaning impact, rejection risk and logistics cost.
Incoterms and shipping
State the preferred delivery term such as EXW, FCA, FOB, CFR, CIF, CPT, DAP or DDP, plus delivery port, city, warehouse or forwarder details if available.
How to request this product
Send the product name, E number, CAS number, required dye or lake form, target colour strength, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, intended application, pH, process conditions, delivery term, expected shipment date and required documents. If you already purchase Allura Red AC, attach or describe your existing specification, label declaration, certificate of analysis, current dosage or colour standard so supplier options can be compared more accurately.
Useful answers for Allura Red AC E129 sourcing.
What is Allura Red AC used for in food manufacturing?
Allura Red AC E129 is typically discussed for visual identity, red shade development, colour standardisation and batch-to-batch appearance consistency in selected food and beverage systems where permitted. Exact suitability depends on grade, application, pH, process, regulation and supplier documents.
Is Allura Red AC a natural colour?
No. Allura Red AC is generally treated as a synthetic food colour. If a natural-colour or colouring-food solution is required, the inquiry should clearly state that restriction so alternative options can be reviewed.
Can Global Food Additives source Allura Red AC?
Global Food Additives can review sourcing options for Allura Red AC according to target specification, colour strength, dye or lake form, quantity, destination, packaging, delivery term and required documentation.
Which documents should be requested?
Buyers commonly request a technical data sheet or specification, certificate of analysis, safety data sheet where applicable, food-grade statement, origin statement, shelf-life information, storage guidance, allergen and GMO statements and packaging details.
Is this product permitted in every country?
No. Food colour use depends on destination-market rules, food category, use level, purity criteria, warning statements where applicable, label requirements and buyer responsibility. Regulatory status must be checked before use or import.
What is important when comparing suppliers?
Compare colour strength, dye content, shade, solubility, physical form, heavy metals, subsidiary dyes, insoluble matter, packaging, batch traceability, shelf life, lead time, origin, certifications and document availability.
Can Allura Red AC be supplied as a lake or liquid preparation?
Some colour programs may require aluminium lake, liquid solution, dispersion or application-ready preparation rather than a standard water-soluble powder. Availability depends on supplier capability, application, MOQ, regulation and destination requirements.
What should I include in a quotation request?
Include product name, E number, CAS number, required dye or lake form, target colour strength, application, food category, quantity, annual demand, destination country, packaging preference, Incoterms, shipment timing and required documents.
Request Allura Red AC E129 with the right technical and commercial details.
Send your required colour form, target colour strength, finished product category, pH, process conditions, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, delivery term and document requirements. Our team will review your inquiry and respond from [email protected].
If you are replacing an existing red colour, include the current supplier grade, dosage, specification, certificate of analysis, finished-product photos, target shade and any local regulatory or customer restrictions.
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