Sunset Yellow FCF

Brief Overview 

Sunset yellow FCF is a petroleum-derived orange dye. It is added to foods as a food color additive and sold as E110 in Europe and FD&C Yellow in the US. The dye is widely used in candies, beverages, jellies, etc. It is combined with another brown dye called amaranth to be used in chocolates and toffees. It is also used in cosmetics for blush and lipsticks. This azo dye contains two hydrocarbon groups joined by two nitrogen atoms.

Manufacturing Process

Sunset yellow FCF is produced by diazotizing 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid using hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite or sulfuric acid and sodium nitrate. The diazo compound is coupled with 6-hydroxy-2-naphthalene-sulfonic acid. The dye is isolated as sodium salt and dried.  

Food Industry

Sunset yellow FCF is widely used in candies, beverages, and jellies soda as a food color additive as it gives orange color to food products. It is coupled with another dye called amaranth to produce brown color in chocolates, caramels, and toffees.

Textile Industry 

Sunset yellow FCF is used for producing orange threads and garments in the textile industry.

Cosmetic Industry 

Sunset yellow FCF is added to make lipsticks, blush, eye shadows, etc