E127 - Erythrosine

Colour additives restore appearance lost during processing or make a food look the way the manufacturer wants. Some are extracted from natural sources (beetroot, paprika, turmeric, carrot). Others are synthesised. The synthetic colours, particularly the azo dyes used in sweets and soft drinks, are the most heavily regulated class on UK shelves: six of them ("the Southampton Six") require a warning label about effects on attention in children, and several are banned in other developed countries while remaining permitted in the UK. Natural colours generally raise fewer concerns, though some can trigger allergies in sensitive individuals.