Brilliant Blue FCF
Brilliant Blue FCF, also known as E133, FD&C Blue No. 1, Acid Blue 9 or C.I. 42090, is a food-grade synthetic blue colour used by industrial food and beverage manufacturers for vivid blue shade development, colour standardisation, brand identity, visual differentiation and batch-to-batch colour correction. It is particularly valuable where strong colour strength, high tinting power, good water solubility and repeatable shade performance are required.
This page is prepared as a technical sourcing reference for purchasing teams, R&D technologists, QA departments, regulatory teams and import managers who need to compare dye grades, lake grades, colour strength, documentation, stability, application fit and supplier suitability before quotation or approval.
Product identity
| Product | Brilliant Blue FCF |
|---|---|
| Common names | FD&C Blue No. 1, Blue 1, Acid Blue 9, Erioglaucine, Brilliant Blue, C.I. Food Blue 2 |
| Category | Colours & Colouring Foods |
| Function | Food colour / certified colour / shade standardisation ingredient / colour correction system |
| E / INS number | E133 / INS 133 |
| CAS / identity | 3844-45-9 |
| Colour Index | C.I. 42090 |
| Chemical class | Synthetic triarylmethane dye, commonly supplied as the disodium salt |
| Typical appearance | Dark blue to reddish-blue powder, granule, liquid solution or lake pigment depending on grade |
| Typical form | Water-soluble dye powder, granular dye, liquid colour, aluminium lake, dispersion or customer-specific colour blend |
| Typical grade focus | Food grade, beverage grade, confectionery grade, lake grade, high-purity grade or destination-market compliant grade |
Application fit
Brilliant Blue FCF is evaluated where strong blue shade, clean colour tone, high colour strength and stable visual identity are required. Application suitability depends on product pH, water activity, heat process, light exposure, packaging, reducing agents, colour blends, legal limits and finished-product label rules.
- Beverages, syrups, drink concentrates and powdered drink mixes
- Confectionery, candies, gummies, jellies, coatings and compressed sweets
- Dairy desserts, ice cream, frozen desserts and flavoured milk systems
- Bakery decorations, icings, fillings, glazes and dessert toppings
- Snacks, seasonings, extruded products and savoury colour systems
- Sauces, gels, dessert mixes, dry blends and instant powders
- Blended green, violet, turquoise and brown shades with yellow, red or caramel colours
- Application-specific lake systems for low-moisture, fat-containing or surface-coloured products
Technical function in food systems
Brilliant Blue FCF provides a strong blue colour that can be used alone or blended with other permitted colours to create green, turquoise, violet, purple, grey or specialty shades. In aqueous systems, dye grades dissolve and distribute through the water phase. In low-moisture, fat-rich or surface-coated products, lake grades may be preferred because they provide pigment-like performance and reduce colour bleeding compared with water-soluble dye grades.
In industrial production, Brilliant Blue FCF is selected not only for blue colour but also for standardisation. It helps manufacturers correct raw-material colour variation, maintain brand-specific shade, create vivid product identity and improve visual consistency between batches, factories and export markets. Selection should be based on shade target, colour strength, legal status, product matrix, processing conditions and label strategy.
Key functional properties
- Blue shade development: Provides vivid blue to reddish-blue shades depending on grade, concentration and food matrix.
- Colour standardisation: Helps maintain target shade across production batches and raw-material variation.
- High tinting strength: Effective at low dosage compared with many naturally derived blue alternatives.
- Water solubility: Dye grades are suitable for beverages, syrups, gels, icings and aqueous systems.
- Lake functionality: Lake grades can support colouring of fat-based, low-moisture or dry applications.
- Blend flexibility: Can be blended with yellow, red, green or caramel colours to create compound shades.
- Process efficiency: Standardized colours can reduce trial-and-error correction during industrial production.
Process variables to control
- Product pH, acidity, buffer system and mineral content
- Heat process, pasteurization, retort exposure or baking conditions
- Light exposure, oxygen exposure and packaging barrier properties
- Water hardness, salt level, sugar level and soluble solids
- Compatibility with acids, preservatives, antioxidants and reducing agents
- Colour blend ratios and order of addition
- Powder dispersion, dissolution time and filtration requirements
- Finished-product shelf life and colour drift during storage
Dye grade versus lake grade selection
The most important sourcing decision is whether the buyer needs a water-soluble dye, a lake pigment or a ready-to-use colour system. Dye grades are usually selected when the colour must dissolve into the water phase. Lake grades are selected when the colour must remain more dispersed than dissolved, or when the food matrix is low in water, high in fat, dry, compressed, coated or surface coloured.
Water-soluble dye grades
- Best suited for beverages, syrups, gels, icings, dessert mixes and liquid concentrates.
- Usually supplied as powder, granule or liquid solution.
- Require complete dissolution before use to avoid specks, streaks or uneven colour.
- Need careful control of dilution strength, storage stability and microbial quality in liquid preparations.
- May migrate or bleed in multi-phase products if the water phase remains mobile.
Lake and dispersion grades
- Often used in coatings, seasonings, confections, compressed tablets, fat-based systems and dry applications.
- Can reduce colour bleeding compared with water-soluble dye in selected systems.
- Require good dispersion, particle-size control and compatibility with fat, oil, starch or carrier systems.
- Colour strength depends on dye content, substrate, particle size and dispersion quality.
- Must be checked against destination-market rules for lake use and aluminium contribution where applicable.
Industrial formulation guidance
For industrial purchasing and R&D work, Brilliant Blue FCF should be selected by functional grade and regulatory market, not by colour name alone. Two products may both be labelled E133, but can differ in dye content, shade, impurity profile, moisture, granulation, dusting behavior, solubility, lake strength, carrier system, certification status and documentation package. Application trials and document review are therefore essential before changing source.
Recommended use evaluation
- Define the target shade using a physical standard, digital colour value or retained production sample.
- Confirm whether the application requires dye powder, granular dye, liquid colour, lake or dispersion.
- Test colour in the real product matrix, not only in water dilution.
- Measure shade before and after processing, filling, cooling and shelf-life storage.
- Evaluate migration, bleeding, haze, sediment, specking or surface streaking.
- Confirm legal permission, maximum use level and label declaration in the destination market.
- Check whether product claims such as natural, clean label or no artificial colour are affected.
Common processing risks
- Shade mismatch: Differences in hue and colour strength can cause visible batch variation.
- Overdosing: Excess colour can create unnatural intensity, staining, regulatory issues or consumer rejection.
- Bleeding: Water-soluble dye may migrate between layers, inclusions, coatings or fillings.
- Specking: Incomplete dissolution or poor dispersion can create visible blue particles.
- Colour drift: Light, heat, oxygen, pH or reducing conditions can shift shade over shelf life.
- Regulatory mismatch: Permission, use levels, certification and labelling can vary by country and food category.
Application-specific value
Brilliant Blue FCF is used across multiple food categories where colour intensity, visual excitement and brand recognition are important. It is often compared with indigotine, spirulina extract, phycocyanin-based colours, gardenia blue, anthocyanin blends or custom blue systems. The best choice depends on shade target, processing stability, legal status, label policy, pH, cost-in-use and customer expectations.
Beverages and drink mixes
- Provides bright blue, turquoise or blended green shades in beverages, syrups and concentrates.
- Useful where a clean, strong colour is required at low dosage.
- Requires testing for pH stability, preservative compatibility, haze, sediment, light exposure and packaging conditions.
- Powdered drink mixes should be checked for dry-blend uniformity and rapid dissolution.
Confectionery and sweets
- Used in hard candies, gummies, jellies, chewing gums, coatings, compressed sweets and decorative systems.
- Can produce vivid blue or blended shades with yellow, red or white bases.
- Lake grades may be useful in coating systems and low-moisture products where bleeding must be controlled.
- Trials should evaluate heat exposure, acid level, sugar matrix, surface drying and shelf-life shade retention.
Dairy desserts and frozen products
- Supports blue, green or novelty colour systems in ice cream, frozen desserts, puddings and dessert toppings.
- Should be checked for compatibility with proteins, fat, stabilizers, emulsifiers and freezing conditions.
- Finished products should be evaluated for migration into inclusions, variegates or layered desserts.
- Colour should be measured after processing, freezing, storage and thawing exposure where relevant.
Snacks, seasonings and dry blends
- Can be used in dry seasoning systems, snack coatings, instant dessert powders and novelty food products.
- Lake or granular grades may reduce dusting, staining and uneven colour distribution in some processes.
- Requires testing for carrier compatibility, oil pickup, powder flow, caking and moisture sensitivity.
- Finished products should be evaluated for surface uniformity, specking, colour release and package staining.
Typical specification points to review
For industrial purchasing, the most useful comparison is not only price per kilogram. Brilliant Blue FCF grades may differ in dye content, shade, purity profile, particle size, solubility, lake strength, certification status and documentation quality. Buyers should request the supplier’s actual specification and certificate of analysis before approval.
Technical parameters
| Dye content | Key value for comparing colour strength, dosage and cost-in-use between suppliers. |
|---|---|
| Colour strength | Should be compared using a defined dilution, substrate, wavelength or visual standard. |
| Shade / hue | Important for matching brand targets and blended colours such as green, violet or turquoise. |
| Appearance | Confirm powder, granule, liquid, lake or dispersion form and freedom from visible contamination. |
| Solubility | Important for beverage, syrup, gel, icing and liquid concentrate applications. |
| Particle size | Affects dusting, dissolution speed, dry blending, lake dispersion and process uniformity. |
| Loss on drying / moisture | Important for flowability, storage stability, active comparison and caking risk. |
| Water-insoluble matter | Relevant for liquid systems where filtration, clarity or sediment control is important. |
| Subsidiary dyes | Should comply with applicable food-colour specifications and buyer requirements. |
| Organic impurities | Review according to relevant regulatory specification and customer standard. |
| Heavy metals | Lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium or other limits should meet destination-market requirements. |
| Lake dye content | For lake grades, confirm dye percentage, aluminium substrate, particle size and oil/fat compatibility. |
| Microbiology | Review where required by buyer policy, product form, aqueous preparations or customer specification. |
Commercial parameters
| Packaging | Powder and granule grades may be supplied in jars, bags, cartons or drums; liquid grades may be supplied in bottles, cans, drums or IBCs. |
|---|---|
| Net weight | Confirm available pack sizes according to supplier, grade, certification status and destination logistics. |
| Palletization | Confirm pallet type, wrapping, stack height, carton strength, moisture protection and leakage prevention for liquids. |
| Shelf life | Confirm from supplier documents; depends on grade, packaging, storage and light exposure. |
| Storage | Store tightly closed in a clean, dry, cool and well-ventilated area away from moisture, heat and direct light. |
| Handling | Use dust control, stain-control procedures and dedicated weighing tools to avoid cross-colour contamination. |
| MOQ | Depends on supplier, grade, certification market, stock position, packaging and destination logistics. |
| Lead time | Depends on production schedule, testing, certification documents, inspection and freight route. |
| Cost-in-use | Compare delivered colour strength, dosage efficiency, regulatory fit and process performance, not only kilogram price. |
Quality, food safety and compliance notes
Brilliant Blue FCF for food manufacturing should be purchased only with clear food-grade documentation, traceability and regulatory support. The buyer should verify that the material is suitable for the intended food category, destination market, customer standard and finished-product label. Where the product is used in export, private-label or customer-branded production, regulatory confirmation should be completed before commercial use.
QA team checklist
- Confirm product name, E/INS number, CAS identity, Colour Index and food-grade status.
- Check whether the requirement is dye, lake, liquid colour or custom colour blend.
- Compare supplier specification with internal purchasing and application requirements.
- Review actual batch COA before shipment or release.
- Confirm dye content, shade, impurities, insoluble matter and heavy metal limits.
- Verify certification status, destination-market compliance and colour-additive documentation.
- Check allergen, GMO, halal, kosher, vegan or other buyer-required statements where applicable.
- Review production date, expiry date, batch number, label information and packaging integrity.
- Conduct incoming QC and application trials before changing supplier, dosage, grade or form.
Regulatory review points
- Destination-market permission for Brilliant Blue FCF / E133 / FD&C Blue No. 1 in the relevant food category
- Maximum permitted use level, GMP principle or customer-specific limit where applicable
- Certification, batch release or colour-additive documentation required by the target market
- Finished-product label declaration, additive class and E-number or colour name requirement
- Lake-grade permission and aluminium-related requirements where applicable
- Restrictions for foods intended for children, special categories or sensitive export markets
- Customer standards, retailer restricted lists and artificial-colour policies
- Finished-product safety, colour stability and compliance responsibility
Documents to request
A complete Brilliant Blue FCF inquiry should include both technical and commercial document requirements. This helps reduce delays during supplier qualification, sample approval, customer audits, customs clearance and first production trials.
Core documents
- Product specification or technical data sheet
- Certificate of analysis for available batch or representative lot
- Safety data sheet
- Food-grade statement or regulatory compliance declaration
- Statement confirming E133 / INS 133 / FD&C Blue No. 1 identity where applicable
- Colour strength, dye content or lake dye content specification
- Origin statement and manufacturer information where available
- Shelf-life and recommended storage conditions
- Product label, packaging details and pallet configuration
Optional buyer-specific documents
- Halal certificate, kosher certificate or other market-specific certification
- Allergen statement and cross-contamination declaration
- GMO status declaration
- Vegan or vegetarian suitability statement where required
- Heavy metal statement or contaminant declaration
- Subsidiary dye and organic impurity declaration where required
- Colour-additive certification or batch certification where required by the destination market
- Lake substrate, carrier, diluent or processing-aid statement where applicable
- Country-specific import, customs or registration documents
How to request this product
Send the product name, required colour standard, form, colour strength, grade, application, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, delivery term, expected shipment date and required documents. If you already purchase Brilliant Blue FCF, attach or describe your existing specification, label, certificate of analysis, colour standard, target shade or finished-product photo so supplier options can be compared more accurately.
Information that improves quotation accuracy
- Target application and finished-product type
- Required identity: E133, INS 133, FD&C Blue No. 1, Acid Blue 9 or C.I. 42090
- Required form: dye powder, granule, liquid solution, lake, dispersion or custom blend
- Required dye content, lake strength or colour-strength target
- Reference colour standard, Pantone target, L*a*b* value or retained sample
- Current dosage range and colour blend partners
- Required annual volume and first-order quantity
- Preferred packaging size and pallet requirement
- Destination port, warehouse or delivery city
- Required Incoterms such as EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF or DAP
- Required certificates and destination-market declarations
- Sample quantity and expected approval timeline
Supplier comparison criteria
- Food-grade documentation completeness
- Consistency of dye content and shade between batches
- Compliance with destination-market colour specifications
- Application performance in the buyer’s real food matrix
- Low specking, good solubility and reliable dispersion behavior
- Heavy metal, impurity and subsidiary dye control
- Packaging strength, moisture protection and stain-control handling
- Batch traceability and shelf-life remaining at shipment
- Export experience and document responsiveness
- Total landed cost and performance cost-in-use
Useful answers
What is Brilliant Blue FCF used for in food manufacturing?
Brilliant Blue FCF E133 is used as a certified blue food colour for vivid blue shade development, colour standardisation, brand identity, batch correction and blended shades in beverages, confectionery, dairy desserts, ice cream, bakery decorations, snacks, sauces and dry mixes.
Is Brilliant Blue FCF a natural colour?
No. Brilliant Blue FCF is a synthetic food colour. Buyers should not use it in products positioned as naturally coloured unless the destination-market rules and customer policy allow the intended claim and label declaration.
What is the difference between Brilliant Blue FCF dye and lake?
Dye grades are water-soluble and are normally used in beverages, syrups, gels, icings and aqueous systems. Lake grades are pigment forms and are often selected for dry, fat-containing, coated or low-moisture systems where reduced bleeding or surface colouring is needed.
Can Brilliant Blue FCF be used to make green shades?
Yes, Brilliant Blue FCF is commonly blended with permitted yellow colours to produce green shades. The final shade depends on the blue-to-yellow ratio, pH, product base colour, processing conditions and legal limits for each colour in the destination market.
Which technical parameters should be checked before purchasing?
Buyers should compare dye content, colour strength, shade, loss on drying, water-insoluble matter, subsidiary dyes, organic impurities, heavy metals, particle size, lake dye content where applicable, solubility, packaging type, shelf life and destination-market compliance.
Can Global Food Additives source Brilliant Blue FCF?
Global Food Additives can review sourcing options for Brilliant Blue FCF according to target specification, market requirement, colour strength, form, application, quantity, destination, packaging preference, delivery term and required documentation.
Which documents should be requested?
Buyers commonly request a technical data sheet, product specification, certificate of analysis, safety data sheet, food-grade statement, origin statement, colour-additive compliance statement, allergen or GMO declaration where required, shelf-life information, label details and packing configuration.
Is this product permitted in every country?
No. Food colour use depends on destination-market rules, food category, use level, certification requirement, label declaration and buyer responsibility. The buyer should confirm local regulations and customer standards before commercial use.
What should be tested during factory trials?
Factory trials should evaluate dissolution, dispersion, shade match, colour strength, pH stability, heat stability, light stability, migration, bleeding, specking, sedimentation, flavour neutrality, packaging compatibility, storage colour drift and compatibility with other colours or functional ingredients.
Tell us which food additive or ingredient you need.
Send product names, target specifications, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, delivery term, and document requirements. Our team will review your inquiry and respond from orders@foodgradeadditives.com.
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