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Answer: Riboflavin is not currently banned worldwide, but health agencies have flagged concerns. The FDA still allows it in US food. Risk level: low. Commonly found in: Kraft Mac & Cheese (yellow), Monster Energy Drink, Kellogg's Cereals (vitamin-enriched).
TL;DR: Riboflavin is allowed in the EU but allowed in the US (color).
Reviewed for clarity & usefulness by the BannedPantry Parent Panel
Also called vitamin B2. (E101) CAS 83-88-5.
Other names: E101, vitamin B2, lactoflavin, riboflavin-5-phosphate
| EU status | Allowed |
|---|---|
| US status | Allowed |
| Risk level | low |
| Where it shows up | Kraft Mac & Cheese (yellow), Monster Energy Drink, Kellogg's Cereals (vitamin-enriched), Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Various multivitamin gummies |
| CAS number | 83-88-5 |
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is an essential water-soluble vitamin used as a yellow food colorant (E101). It naturally occurs in meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and leafy greens. Commercial riboflavin for food use is produced by bacterial fermentation (primarily using Ashbya gossypii or Bacillus subtilis). It provides a yellow-to-green-yellow color in foods.
Provides a natural yellow color in cheeses, pasta, vitamin-enriched products, and energy drinks; also functions as a nutritional supplement (vitamin B2).
Riboflavin is one of the safest food additives. It is an essential nutrient with no established upper tolerable intake limit due to its extremely low toxicity — excess riboflavin is simply excreted in urine (which turns bright yellow). No carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, or mutagenicity has been identified.
For educational use only. This page summarizes the regulatory status of Riboflavinwith citations to the primary sources below. It is not medical advice. Regulatory status is not the same as a proven health effect — read the cited sources for their exact wording, and consult a doctor for decisions about your or your family's health.
Turmeric extract (E100) and beta-carotene (E160a) are alternative yellow colorants.
Yes — it is an essential vitamin and one of the most benign food additives with no identified upper toxicity limit.
Excess riboflavin is water-soluble and excreted through the kidneys, giving urine a bright yellow color.
Riboflavin in energy drinks is typically fermentation-produced and provides both color and vitamin B2 fortification.
Yes — riboflavin is both a food color (E101) and an essential nutrient (vitamin B2).
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