INS 102 is tartrazine, a synthetic lemon-yellow colour. It is used to give a bright, consistent yellow shade to drinks, sweets, savouries, and noodles where natural turmeric colour would be too earthy or fade too quickly. It is generally vegan and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories with restrictions.
INS 102 is tartrazine, a synthetic lemon-yellow colour. It is used to give a bright, consistent yellow shade to drinks, sweets, savouries, and noodles where natural turmeric colour would be too earthy or fade too quickly.
Brands use it because it is cheap, gives a sharp yellow that does not turn brown over shelf life, and survives the high heat of frying and baking. It is one of the most common azo colours on Indian packs.
INS 102 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Tartrazine is produced by chemical synthesis. No animal product is used in its manufacture.
FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI as a synthetic food colour under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011. Restricted to specified food categories such as bakery, confectionery, beverages, and dairy products with category-specific upper limits. FSS rules also cap total synthetic colour use at 100 ppm in many categories.
JECFA: Group ADI 0-10 mg/kg body weight raised by JECFA in 2016 from the earlier 0-7.5 mg/kg, based on a chronic rat study NOAEL. EFSA's 2009 re-evaluation reaffirmed the older 0-7.5 mg/kg ADI; the two bodies currently differ on this number.
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 102 is also called:
Last verified: 2026-04-29.
This page covers INS 102 one additive at a time. To check a full packet's ingredient list against the same FSSAI / JECFA / EFSA-cited dataset, use the Indian Food Ingredient Checker - paste the whole list and get a per-item verdict plus a composite tone (clear / watch / flag / incomplete).