Beetroot Red (Beetroot Extract)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Beetroot extract (E162) is a natural red-violet food colourant derived from the roots of Beta vulgaris (red beetroot), with betanin (betanidin 5-O-β-d-glucoside) as its primary pigment belonging to the betalain class. It is widely used in beverages, confectionery, dairy products, meat products, and cereals as a natural alternative to synthetic red dyes.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

EFSA's 2015 re-evaluation concluded that at reported use levels, beetroot red (E162) is not of safety concern; the available toxicological database was insufficient to formally establish an ADI, but betanin exposure from food additive use is comparable to natural dietary betanin exposure from consuming beetroot. The colouring principles are natural dietary constituents with a long history of safe consumption. No significant genotoxicity, chronic toxicity, or reproductive toxicity concerns have been established from the available data.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Authorised as a Group II food colour at quantum satis under EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. ADI not formally established; EFSA (2015) concluded no safety concern at current reported use levels. Generally prohibited in foods for infants and young children (exception for specific FSMP products per 2016 EFSA opinion at 20 mg/L betanin).source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) / Food Standards Scotland (FSS) (United Kingdom)	Approved	Authorised under assimilated Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008 and No 231/2012. Group II food colour at quantum satis. Applies in England, Scotland, and Wales; status last updated 01 April 2025.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Approved as a natural food colour (INS 162) under Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Permitted at quantum satis in applicable food categories; FSSAI has published approved natural colorants list covering beet red.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Listed as a colour additive exempt from certification under 21 CFR 73.260 (vegetable juice, including beet juice) and 21 CFR 73.40 (dehydrated beets/beet powder). Permitted for general food use at GMP levels.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and EFSA (2016) confirm that use of food colours including E162 is generally prohibited in foods for infants and young children, except for specific FSMP products prescribed under medical supervision.

Kidney Disease — Beetroot is a naturally high source of dietary oxalates; individuals with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones or reduced kidney function should exercise caution with high-dose or concentrated beetroot extract products.

Ibs — Beetroot contains fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs); individuals with IBS or other functional gut disorders may experience gastrointestinal discomfort with significant consumption of beetroot extract in concentrated or supplement forms.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Status of food colorants in India: conflicts and prospects, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Analysis of the degradation of betanin obtained from beetroot using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Betanin, a Natural Food Additive: Stability, Bioavailability, Antioxidant and Preservative Ability Assessments, 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4EFSA. Beetroot red (E 162): extension of use in FSMP for young children, 2016. efsa.europa.eu
5EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of beetroot red (E 162) as a food additive, 2015. efsa.europa.eu
6FDA. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 73, Sec. 73.260 – Vegetable juice (colour additive exempt from certification), 2009. ecfr.gov

Independently researched6 citations