A cherry-pink/red synthetic coal tar dye found in cocktail, glacé and tinned cherries, canned fruit, custard mix, sweets, bakery, snack foods, biscuits, chocolate, dressed crab, garlic sausage, luncheon meat, salmon spread, paté, scotch eggs, stuffed olives and packet trifle mix. It is also used to reveal plaque in dental disclosing tablets.

Because food processing at temperatures above 200°c partly degrades Erythrosine, releasing iodide, there are fears that it could affect thyroid activity, can increase thyroid hormone levels and lead to hyperthyroidism, was shown to cause thyroid cancer in rats in a study in 1990. It is toxic to some strains of yeast cells and is also implicated in phototoxicity (a sensitivity to light).

Not recommended for consumption by children.

The Hyperactive Childrens Support Group belive that a link exists between this additive and hyperactive behavioural disorders in children.

It is banned in Norway and the United States.