Illegal dye testing

Food colourings and dyes

To discuss your needs

Food dyes, often referred to as colour additives, are added to food for a variety of reasons, for example to enhance colour to make foods look fresher and more appealing to consumers.

Over the years, several foods and ingredients have been implicated in food scares leading to their immediate recall. It is therefore vital that food manufacturers remain alert to the potential use of illegal dyes in their supply chains.

Regulation for food dyes

Whether natural or artificial, food manufacturers and own label retailers must ensure that food dyes in products meet strict legal limits for their destination markets.

Campden BRI benefits

All our analyses and testing are performed in our UK laboratory, giving you peace of mind that your samples are tested within the required holding times designed to ensure reliable results.

To help you ensure the integrity of your products, we have the capability to test for a wide range of dyes in food including natural colours and Southampton six, and are continuously working to expand the range we can test for.

We offer a UKAS accredited illegal dye testing service for Sudan and other illegal azo dyes and to support you when you need quick results, these are available within our rapid turnaround service.

Azo Dye LOQ Azo Dye LOQ
Sudan 1 <10 µg/kg Fast Garnet <10 µg/kg
Sudan 2 <10 µg/kg Nitroaniline <50 µg/kg
Sudan 3 <10 µg/kg Metanil yellow <10 µg/kg
Sudan 4 <10 µg/kg Sudan Reg G <10 µg/kg
Para Red <10 µg/kg Toluidine Red <10 µg/kg
Rhodamine B <10 µg/kg Orange OT <50 µg/kg
Orange II <10 µg/kg Sudan Red B <10 µg/kg
Sudan Red 7B <10 µg/kg Sudan Black B <50 µg/kg
Sugan Orange G <10 µg/kg Bixin <10 µg/kg
Butter Yellow <10 µg/kg Norbixin <500 µg/kg
Auramine O <10 µg/kg

Contact us for further information about our illegal dye testing service or rapid turnaround service.

Key contact

About Danielle Cawdron

Danielle Cawdron joined Campden BRI in 2009 as a technician in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department having graduated with a Master's degree in Chemistry.

Danielle’s current role is Chromatography. Her key area of responsibility is concerned with the potential chemical migration from food contact materials into their packaged goods.

Danielle supervises all aspects of analytical and consultancy work of the group and is the primary client liaison point for all enquires relating to global legislative compliance for food contact materials as well as the practical aspects of undertaking migration testing.

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Where we refer to UKAS Accreditation

The Campden BRI group companies listed below are accredited in accordance with the recognised International Standard ISO17025:2017 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The accreditation demonstrates technical competence for a defined scope of methods, specific to each site, as detailed in the schedules of accreditation bearing the testing laboratory number. The schedules may be revised from time to time and reissued by UKAS. The most recent issue of the schedules are available from the UKAS website www.ukas.com. Campden BRI (Chipping Campden) Limited is a UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 1079

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