هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية  
G.C.C  STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GSO 23/  1998  
 
 
 
 
المواد الملونة المستخدمة في المواد الغذائية  
COLOURING MATTER USED IN FOODSTUFFS  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS:67.220  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
COLOURING MATTER USED IN FOODSTUFFS  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date of GSO Board of Directors’ Approval  : 1419(H) -5-24  (1998 -9-15) 
Issuing Status  : Technical Regulation  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
2 COLOURING MATTER USED IN FOODSTUFFS  
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION  
 This standard is concerned with natural, and synthetic colouring matter added to 
foodstuffs prepared for human consumption.  
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES  
2.1 GSO 9/1995 "Labelling of Prepackaged Foods".  
2.2 GSO 22/1984 "Methods of Test for Colouring Matter Used in Foodstuffs".  
3. DEFINITIONS  
3.1 Natural colouring matter:  A material extracted, isolated, or otherwise derived -
with or without intermediates -from ve getables, animals, minerals or any other 
sources, which when added to a foodstuff is capable (alone or through reaction 
with another substance) of imparting a distinguishing colour thereto.  
3.2 Synthetic colouring matter:  A material produced by synthesis of any similar 
artificial method and which when added to the foodstuff is capable (alone or 
through reaction with another substance) of imparting a distinguishing colour 
thereto.  
3.3 Lake:  A salt prepared by reaction of one of the water soluble pigments w ith the 
basic radical aluminium or calcium.  
4. REQUIREMENTS  
 The following shall be met in the colouring matter:  
4.1 It shall be completely free from pork products or their derivatives.  
4.2 It shall not react with food components or its containers.  
4.3 It shall be capable of dissolving or dispersing in the foodstuff in case it is used 
without solvents.  
4.4 Loss of weight on drying shall not exceed 0.2% in case of Beta -Carotene, Beta -
Apo-8-Carotenal, Beta -Apo-8-Carotenoic acid and Canthaxanthin.  
4.5 Residue on ignition shall not exceed 0.2% in case of Beta -Carotene, Beta -Apo-8-
Carotenal, Beta -Apo-8-Carotenoic acid and Canthaxan -thin. 
4.6 The dye content in colouring matter determined spectrophotometrically shall not 
be less than 96% in case of Beta -Carotene, Beta-Apo-8-Carotenal, Beta -Apo-8-
Carotenoic acid and Canthaxanthin when tested according to GS O Standard   
mentioned in 2.2.  
4.7 Carrot oil shall contain no more than 25 ppm of hexan.  
4.8 Lake may be used in colouring foodstuffs products.  GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
3 4.9 No diluents or  solvents shall be used with the colouring matter except the 
following materials:  
 Water, glucose, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, starch, sorbitol, glycerol, edible fats 
and oils, bee wax, citric acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, pectin, beef gelatine, 
sodium  carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, 
(sodium, potassium or ammonium) alginate, sodium hydroxide, ammonium 
hydroxide, potassium hydroxide propylene -glycol, ethyl acetates, acetic acid, and 
(glyceryl -mono, di, and triacetate) pol ysorbat 80.  
4.10 The toxic mineral elements shall not exceed the following:  
 Arsenic     3  ppm  
 Lead   10  ppm  
 Heavy metals  40  ppm  
4.11 No colouring matter shall be added to the following food products:  Non -
processed (meat - birds - fish) processed (meat  - birds - fish) (except what's 
mentioned in Table 3) - fresh fruits and vegetables - mineral water, milk without 
flavour (pasteurized - powdered - sterilized - fermented) - cream without flavour - 
olive oil - egg and egg products - flour - starch, bread - sugars - cocoa and row 
chocolate - coffee - tea - spices - foods for infants and children, honey except the 
following cases:  
4.11.1  Official ink used for stamping the slaughtered animals with distinguishing marks.  
4.11.2  Synthetic colouring of the fully ripe citrus fruits.  
4.12 No natural or synthetic colouring matter shall be added to food products except 
those mentioned in Tables 1 and 2 in general, and colouring matter which are 
mentioned in Table 3 are permitted for use in certain foodstuffs only.  
4.13 Synthetic colouring matter shall fulfill the characteristics specified in Table 4.  GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
4 TABLE 1  
Permitted Natural Colours for Use in Foodstuffs in General  
Colour  EEC No.  Notes  
   
Red to Yellow Shades  
  Carmine  
 
  Annatto extract  
  Beta-Carotene  
    Lycopene  
  Beta-Apo-8-Carotenal  
  Beta-Apo-8-Carotenoic  
  Acid  
  Lutein  
   Carrot oil  
  Beet root red   
120 
 
160B  
160A  
160D  
160E  
160F  
 
161B  
- 
162  
Cochineal, carminic  
acid 
Bixin, Norbixin  
Mixed carotene  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Betanine  
   
Red to Purple Shade  
  Anthocyanine  
 
  Beet Powder  
  Paprika  
  Paprika Oleoresin   
163 
 
- 
- 
160C   
Grape skin extract  
(Enocianina)  
 
   
Orange and Yellow Dyes  
  Saffron  
  Turmeric Powder  
  Curcumin  
  Turmeric Oleoresin  
  Riboflavin  
  Riboflavin -5-Phosphate   
- 
100 
100 
100 
101(l)  
101(II)   
Natural yellow 6  
   
Green Dyes  
  Chlorophyll  
  Chlorophyll copper  
  complex   
140 
 
141  
Chlorophyllins  
   
Brown Dyes  
  Plain caramel  
  Caustic sulphite caramel   
150A  
150B   GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
5 Colour  EEC No.  Notes  
  Ammonia caramel  
  Sulphite ammonia caramel  150C  
150D  
   
Black Dyes  
  Activated vegetable 
carbon   
153  
   
Inorganic Dyes  
  Titanium dioxide  
  Iron oxides   
171 
172  
White dye 6  
 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
6 TABLE 2  
Permitted Synthetic Colours for Use in Foodstuffs in General  
Colour  EEC No.  Notes  
   
Red Colours  
    Allura Red  
  (Food Red 17)   
129 
  
Red 3  
FD C Red 40  
   
Yellow Colours  
  Sunset Yellow FCF   
110 Food yellow 3, Orange  
Yellow S, FD and C  
yellow No. 6  
   
Brown Colours  
  Chocolate brown HT   
155  
Food brown 3  
   
Green Colours  
  Fast green FCF   
-  
FD and C Green No. 3  
Food green 3  
   
Blue Colours  
  Indigotine   
132  
Indigo carmine, FD  
and C blue No. 2,  
Food blue 1  
   
  Brilliant Blue FCF  133 Food blue 2, FD and  
C blue No. 1  
   
Black Colours  
  Brilliant Black PN   
151  
Food black 1, Black  
PN 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
7 TABLE 3  
Colouring Matter Permitted for  Use in Certain Foodstuffs* 
Colour  Foodstuffs  Maximum Level  
   
Erythrosine  Cherries and its  
products  - 
   
Canthaxanthin  Cooked sausages  
Edible ices  30 ppm  
100 ppm  
   
Aluminium  External coating of sugar  
confectionery for the  
decoration of cakes and  
pastries  GMP  
 
   
Silver  External coating of  
confectionery  GMP  
   
Gold  External coating of  
confectionery  GMP  
   
Lithotrubine BK  Edible cheese surface  GMP  
   
Orange B  Surfaces of frankfurters  
and sausages  150 ppm  
   
Citrus Red No. 2  Skins of Orange  2 ppm  
                                                        
* has been deleted  (E128)   Red 2G  in the Board of Directors  in its meeting No.( 10), held on  29/5/1430h 
(24/5/2009G)  
 GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
8 Table 4  
 Characteristics for Synthetic Colours  
Property  Purity  Volatile* 
matter at 
135°C  Water 
Insoluble  Ether 
Extract  Subsidiary 
Dyes  
 % % % % % 
Colour  (Min.)  (Max.)  (Max.)  (Max.)  (Max.)  
Red 2 G  82 18 0.2 0.2 2 
Sunset Yellow FCF  85 15 0.2 0.2 4 
Chocolate Brown Ht  80 20 - 0.2 15 
Fast Green FCF  85 15 0.2 0.2 1 
Indigotine  85 15 0.2 0.2 1 
Brilliant Blue FCF  85 15 0.2 0.2 3 
Brilliant Black PN  84 15 0.2 0.2 4 
FD & C Red 40  85 14 0.2 - - 
 
* Volatile matter + chlorides and sulphates .  
5. SAMPLING  
5.1 A number of containers shall be selected randomly from each lot according to 
Table 5.  
TABLE 5  
Number of Colouring Matter Containers  
Selected as Sample  
Lot size  Number of selected  
containers  
  
      2  -     15 
    16  -     40 
    41  -     65 
    66  -  110 
    More than 110  2 
3 
4 
7 
10 
 
 
 
5.2 Draw small quantities from different parts of each selected container and mix the 
portions as a composite sample whose weight shall not be less than 150 g.  GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
01 5.3 Divide the composite sample  to three equal parts.  One of them for the purchaser, 
one for the vendor and the third shall be kept to be used arbitration in case of 
dispute between the purchaser and the vendor.  
6. METHODS OF TEST  
6.1 Tests shall be carried out according to the Gulf St andard mentioned in item 2.2.  
6.2 Necessary tests shall be carried out on the representative sample taken according 
to 5.1 to determine its compliance with this standard.  
7. PACKAGING, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE  
 The following shall be met on packaging, transportation and storage:  
7.1 Packaging  
7.1.1  Natural colouring matter shall be packed in dark -coloured glass containers or any 
other suitable, firmly sealed hygienic containers under an inert gas as far as 
possible so as to avoid its contact with outer atmosphere or contamination.  
7.1.2  Synthetic colours shall be packed in suitable firmly sealed hygienic containers so 
as to avoid its contact with outer atmosphere or contamination.  
7.1.3  The containers shall be filled so that the minimum net content volum e shall not be 
less than 90% from the water capacity of used container.  
7.2 Transportation  
 The containers shall be transported in such a way as to avoid their breakage or 
damage.  
7.3 Storage  
 The containers shall be stored in cold dry places, far away fro m sources of direct 
light and contamination.  
8. LABELLING  
8.1 The following information shall be declared on the labels of food colouring matter 
containers:  
8.1.1  The name of the colouring matter or EEC number.  
8.1.2  Name of solvent or diluent.  
8.1.3  Dye p urity grade.  
8.1.4  The statement "free from alcohol".  
8.1.5  The statement "colouring matter for food".  
8.1.6  The statement "Do not exposure to light" in case of colouring matter affected by 
light.  GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
00 8.1.7  Dates of production and expiry.  
8.1.8  Batch number.  
8.1.9 In case of adding either E 110 or E 129, the following shall be added  
 -Marked with (*)  
 The following statment shall be written with the contents: *It could cause 
Hyeractivity for children.  
8.2 Without prejudice to what is mentioned in GS O 9/1984 "Labelling of 
Prepackaged Foods"  as well as  item No. 8.1.9,   The following information shall 
be declared on labels of the food products containers which contain food 
colouring matter : 
 Common name or EEC number.  GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
01 ANNEX 1  
Permissible Daily Intake of  the Colouring  
Matter Per Body Weight  
 
Colour  ADI 
mg/kg body  
weight   
Colour  ADI 
mg/kg body  
weight  
 
Annatto (determine as Bixin)  
Beta-Carotene  
Beta-Apo-8-Carotenal  
Beta-Apo-8-Carotenoic acid  
Beet powder  
Brilliant black PN  
Brilliant blue FCF  
Canthaxanthine  
Caramel  
Caramel made by ammonium  
  sulphite process  
Chlorophyll  
Chlorophyll copper complex  
Chocolate brown HT  
Turmeric  
Curcumine  
Fast green FCF  
Gold  
Indigotine   
0.065  
0-5 
0-5 
0-5 
- 
0-1.0 
0-12.5 
0-25 
- 
 
0-100 
- 
0-15 
0-1.5 
0-2.5 
0-0.1 
0-12.5 
- 
0-5  
Iron oxides  
 
 
Red 2G  
 
Riboflavin  
Sunset yellow FCF  
Titanium Dioxide  
FD & C Red 40  
 
Aluminium  
Anthocyanine  
Carrot oil   
0-0.5 
 
 
0-0.1 
 
0-0.5 
0-2.5 
- 
0-7.0 
 
- 
15 
- 
 
  GSO STANDARD  GSO 23/1998  
 
02 Refrances  
CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR FOOD ADDITIVES - CODEX STAN 192 -1995 
EC No. 1333/2008 on food additives