Indigo Carmine E132
Indigo Carmine is a synthetic blue food colour used for visual identity, blue-to-indigo shade development, colour standardisation and colour blending in selected food and beverage applications. It is commonly known as Indigotine, E132, INS 132 and, in the United States, FD&C Blue No. 2.
For industrial buyers, Indigo Carmine should be evaluated by colour strength, grade form, solubility, shade, certification status, carrier system, stability in the finished matrix and destination-market compliance. Global Food Additives supports buyers with supplier comparison, documentation review, sample coordination, quotation support and export-ready communication for food-grade Indigo Carmine requirements.
Product identity
| Product | Indigo Carmine |
|---|---|
| Common names | Indigotine, Indigo Carmine, FD&C Blue No. 2, C.I. Food Blue 1, C.I. Acid Blue 74 |
| Category | Colours & Colouring Foods |
| Function | Certified synthetic food colour / blue dye / colour standardisation ingredient |
| E / INS number | E132 / INS 132 |
| U.S. designation | FD&C Blue No. 2 |
| CAS / identity | 860-22-0 |
| Colour index | C.I. 73015 |
| Typical shade | Deep blue to indigo-blue, depending on concentration, matrix, pH, light exposure and blending system |
| Typical form | Powder, granule, liquid solution, colour blend or lake grade depending on application and market |
| Key purchasing controls | Total colour, dye strength, shade, solubility, insoluble matter, subsidiary dyes, heavy metals, certification, particle size, carrier and regulatory documents |
Application fit
Indigo Carmine is selected where a clean blue or indigo shade is required and where the destination market permits a certified synthetic colour additive.
- Still and carbonated beverages, drink bases, syrups and concentrates
- Confectionery, hard candy, gummies, jellies, chewing gum and compressed sweets
- Ice cream, frozen desserts, dairy desserts and decorative inclusions
- Bakery icings, frostings, fillings, toppings and decorative gels
- Snack seasonings, dry mixes, instant powders and powdered beverage systems
- Coatings, glazes, panned products and tablet or supplement coating systems
- Colour blends for green, purple, grey, navy and dark shade development
Technical overview for industrial buyers
Indigo Carmine is a water-soluble synthetic dye used to produce blue and indigo shades. In colour formulation, it may be used alone for blue tones or blended with yellow, red, black or other colour systems to create green, purple, grey, navy or dark custom shades. The final colour result depends on dosage, colour strength, pH, dissolved solids, acidity, light exposure, heat treatment, packaging, oxygen exposure and interactions with reducing or oxidizing ingredients.
Commercial grades are not interchangeable simply because they share the same E number. Industrial buyers should compare total colour content, certified batch status, specification limits, dye strength, particle size, solubility, dusting tendency, carrier system, country-of-origin documentation and the finished-product performance of each supplier grade. For lake grades, buyers should also check the substrate, dye content, particle size distribution, oil dispersibility, migration behavior and suitability for fat-based or low-moisture applications.
Functional performance
- Provides blue to indigo-blue shade development at low dosage levels
- Supports repeatable colour standardisation across batches when dosage is controlled
- Can be blended with yellow colours to create green shades
- Can be blended with red colours to create violet, purple or dark blue shade systems
- Suitable for water-phase colouring when a soluble dye grade is selected
- Lake grades can support colour use in coatings, dry mixes, fat-based systems or low-moisture products
- Allows high tinting strength compared with many natural blue systems
- Requires application testing for light stability, reduction sensitivity and matrix compatibility
Grade and form selection
| Powder dye | High-strength dry form used for dry blending, solution preparation and concentrated colour systems. |
|---|---|
| Granular grade | Improved handling and reduced dusting compared with fine powder, depending on supplier technology. |
| Liquid solution | Useful for accurate dosing, fast dispersion and liquid processing lines; requires preservative and shelf-life review. |
| Lake grade | Useful for low-moisture, coating, fat-based, pressed-tablet or dry-mix applications where dye migration must be controlled. |
| Custom blend | Used when the buyer needs a fixed shade target such as green, violet, navy, grey or brand-standard blue. |
Application-specific guidance
In beverages, Indigo Carmine can provide blue or support green shade systems when blended with suitable yellow colours. However, beverage formulas should be tested for pH, acidity, vitamin C, preservatives, oxygen pickup, light exposure and packaging type because colour stability may change during shelf life. Clear beverages, carbonated drinks, sports drinks and syrups should be evaluated under real filling and storage conditions.
In confectionery and bakery decoration, Indigo Carmine is used for visual differentiation and shade consistency. High-sugar systems, low-moisture products and coatings may require different grade forms than aqueous products. Lake grades or pre-dispersed systems may be more appropriate where migration, bleeding, speckling or uneven colour distribution is a concern.
Beverage and liquid systems
- Carbonated drinks: validate shade stability under acidity, carbonation, light exposure and storage temperature.
- Syrups and concentrates: confirm solubility, colour strength and compatibility with preservatives and acids.
- Sports and functional drinks: test interaction with minerals, vitamins, botanical extracts and reducing ingredients.
- Dairy-style beverages: check protein interaction, heat treatment, homogenization and possible shade shift.
Dry, coated and confectionery systems
- Hard candy and gummies: validate colour through cooking, depositing, acidity and shelf-life storage.
- Bakery icing and frosting: test shade intensity, migration, bleeding and light exposure in display conditions.
- Snack seasonings: consider lake or blend systems when dry distribution and surface colour are important.
- Supplement coatings: confirm colour additive permission, certification status and finished-product label rules.
Stability and processing considerations
Indigo Carmine shade can be affected by product chemistry and processing conditions. Acid level, pH, reducing agents, oxidizing agents, vitamin systems, metallic ions, heat exposure, light exposure and oxygen availability should be reviewed in the finished product matrix. Manufacturers should test the colour in both freshly produced product and retained shelf-life samples, including the intended packaging and distribution temperature.
Powder grades should be added using a controlled procedure that prevents dusting, localized over-dosing and poor distribution. Liquid colour preparations should be mixed thoroughly and checked for microbial quality, preservative system, viscosity, sedimentation and dosing accuracy. Lake grades require dispersion testing in the target fat, coating, dry mix or compression system to confirm colour uniformity and reduce speckling.
Typical quality parameters
- Appearance, shade and visual comparison against reference standard
- Total colour content or dye strength
- Certification status and certified batch information where required
- Volatile matter, chlorides and sulfates where included in the specification
- Water-insoluble matter and solubility profile
- Subsidiary dyes and organic impurities according to applicable specification
- Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury according to market requirements
- Particle size, flowability and dusting tendency for powder grades
- Microbiological quality for liquid preparations or blends where relevant
- Carrier, diluent, preservative and anti-caking declaration
Common purchasing risks
- Buying by product name only without confirming certified status and destination-market acceptance
- Replacing a dye grade with a lake grade without reformulating the application process
- Changing supplier without checking shade strength, impurity profile and colour tolerance
- Using a soluble dye in a low-moisture or fat-based application where migration may occur
- Ignoring vitamin C, acidity, light exposure or packaging effects in beverage systems
- Not confirming whether standards of identity or customer specifications allow added colour
- Requesting a colour blend without providing the approved shade standard or target matrix
Regulatory and compliance notes
Indigo Carmine is commonly identified internationally as E132 / INS 132 and in the United States as FD&C Blue No. 2. Regulatory treatment is market-specific. Some countries require batch certification, some define permitted food categories and maximum use levels, and some customers restrict synthetic colours even when they are legally permitted.
Under U.S. federal rules, FD&C Blue No. 2 is listed in 21 CFR 74.102 as a colour additive subject to certification. The regulation defines identity and specifications, includes limits for selected impurities and heavy metals, and permits use for colouring foods, including dietary supplements, generally in amounts consistent with current good manufacturing practice, except where standards of identity do not authorize added colour. Buyers should verify the current regulation, batch certification and label requirements before use in U.S.-bound products.
For the European Union, United Kingdom, GCC countries, Turkey, Codex-aligned markets and other destinations, buyers should confirm food-category permissions, maximum levels, label declaration, warning statements where applicable, customer standards and whether lake forms or blended preparations require additional documentation.
Documents to request
- Product specification or technical data sheet with colour strength and test methods
- Certificate of analysis for the offered batch or lot
- Batch certification document where required by the destination market
- Safety data sheet for industrial handling and storage
- Food-grade statement and E132 / INS 132 / FD&C Blue No. 2 declaration as applicable
- Regulatory compliance statement for the destination country
- Heavy-metal declaration including lead, arsenic, mercury and other market-specific elements
- Subsidiary dye, insoluble matter and impurity profile where required by the specification
- Carrier, diluent, anti-caking agent, preservative or lake substrate declaration
- Allergen, GMO, vegan, halal and kosher statements where required
- Origin, manufacturer, production site and traceability information
- Shelf-life, storage conditions and retest policy
- Packaging specification, net weight, pallet configuration and container loading details
- Change-control, non-irradiation, BSE/TSE, residual solvent and contaminant statements when required
Packaging, storage and logistics
Indigo Carmine may be supplied in sealed bottles, cartons, drums, fibre drums, lined bags or other food-grade industrial packaging depending on whether the material is a powder, granule, liquid, lake or blend. Packaging should protect the colour from moisture, light, contamination, odour pickup and accidental cross-contact with incompatible materials. For export orders, buyers should confirm net weight, gross weight, pallet type, batch coding, label language, country-of-origin marking and whether heat-treated pallets or special transport documents are required.
Store in a cool, dry, clean and well-ventilated warehouse away from direct sunlight, moisture, strong odours and strong oxidizing or reducing materials. Opened containers should be resealed immediately. Powders should be handled with suitable dust-control procedures, and liquid preparations should be protected from freezing or overheating according to supplier instructions.
Who usually buys Indigo Carmine?
- Beverage, syrup and drink-base manufacturers
- Confectionery, candy, chewing gum and panned-product producers
- Bakery decoration, icing, frosting and filling manufacturers
- Ice cream, frozen dessert and dairy dessert manufacturers
- Snack seasoning, dry blend and instant powder producers
- Supplement, tablet coating and nutraceutical manufacturers
- Colour blend houses, ingredient distributors and private-label suppliers
Information needed for quotation
- Required name: Indigo Carmine, E132, INS 132 or FD&C Blue No. 2
- Target form: powder, granule, liquid solution, lake or custom blend
- Target colour strength, total colour content or reference supplier specification
- Finished application and target shade standard
- Destination country and regulatory documentation needs
- Trial quantity, commercial quantity and annual volume
- Preferred packaging size and pallet requirement
- Required certificates: batch certification, halal, kosher, vegan, allergen, GMO, origin or other declarations
- Delivery term, destination port or warehouse address
- Expected shipment date and sample approval timeline
How Global Food Additives supports sourcing
Global Food Additives can help compare Indigo Carmine grades by certification status, colour strength, form, shade, solubility, particle size, lake performance, documentation package, packaging and commercial availability. For industrial customers, the fastest sourcing route is to provide a current specification, certificate of analysis, approved supplier reference, target shade and destination market. This allows supplier options to be compared by regulatory fit and cost-in-use, not only by price per kilogram.
For colour development projects, our team can coordinate sample options and supplier questions around dye grade, lake grade, liquid preparation, custom blend, shade tolerance, stability testing, export documentation and packaging. Final formulation, use level, regulatory review, label declaration and finished-product suitability remain the responsibility of the manufacturer.
How to request this product
Send the product name, target grade or reference specification, form, target colour strength, application, shade standard, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, expected shipment date and required documents. If you already purchase Indigo Carmine, attach or describe your current specification, certificate of analysis, label, approved supplier reference or colour standard so supplier options can be compared accurately.
Useful answers
What is Indigo Carmine used for in food manufacturing?
Indigo Carmine is used as a blue synthetic food colour for shade standardisation, visual identity and colour blending. It is commonly evaluated in beverages, confectionery, bakery decorations, desserts, ice cream, snacks, dry blends, coatings and dietary supplement applications where legally permitted.
Is Indigo Carmine the same as FD&C Blue No. 2?
In the United States, Indigo Carmine is commonly associated with FD&C Blue No. 2. Internationally it is commonly identified as E132 or INS 132. Buyers should confirm grade, certification status and market compliance before use.
Is Indigo Carmine a natural colour?
No. Commercial food-grade Indigo Carmine is a synthetic certified colour additive. It should not be described as a colouring food, natural extract or natural colour unless a specific local rule and supplier document explicitly support that claim.
Should I use dye or lake grade?
Soluble dye grades are usually selected for water-phase systems such as beverages and syrups. Lake grades are often evaluated for dry mixes, coatings, fat-based systems, compressed tablets or applications where migration control is important.
What affects Indigo Carmine shade stability?
Shade stability can be affected by pH, acidity, heat, light, oxygen, reducing ingredients, oxidizing agents, vitamins, minerals, packaging and storage temperature. Finished-product shelf-life testing is recommended before commercial approval.
Can Global Food Additives source Indigo Carmine?
Global Food Additives can review sourcing options for Indigo Carmine according to target specification, colour strength, form, application, quantity, destination, packaging and required documentation.
Which documents should be requested?
Buyers commonly request a technical data sheet, certificate of analysis, batch certification where applicable, safety data sheet, regulatory declaration, heavy-metal statement, colour strength data, carrier declaration, shelf-life information, storage conditions and packing details.
Is this product permitted in every country?
No. Use depends on destination-market rules, food category, maximum use level, certification status, label requirements and buyer responsibility. Always verify final suitability for the intended application.
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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