| Factor | Sodium Nitrite | Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) |
|---|---|---|
| E-Number | E250 | E102 |
| Category | Preservative | Artificial Color |
| Severity | Moderate Risk (6/10) | High Risk (8/10) |
| FDA Status | FDA-approved for use in cured meat products at regulated levels (21 CFR 172.175). Maximum 200 ppm in finished product. R… | FDA-approved. Since 1979, FDA requires Yellow 5 to be specifically listed on food labels (21 CFR 74.705) due to potentia… |
| EFSA Status | EFSA re-evaluated in 2017 and maintained approval with a reduced ADI of 0.07 mg/kg body weight/day (as nitrite ion). EFS… | EFSA re-evaluated in 2009, maintaining an ADI of 7.5 mg/kg body weight/day. EU requires the same warning label as Red 40… |
| Banned In | — | Norway Austria |
| Products Found | 599 | 777 |
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Get CheckIt AI Free → ★4.7 · 255+ reviewsBased on severity scores, Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) (8/10) poses a higher risk than Sodium Nitrite (6/10).
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CheckIt AI. (2026). "Sodium Nitrite vs Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) — Which Is Worse? | CheckIt AI". Climaverse PBC. Retrieved from https://getcheck.it/ingredients/sodium-nitrite-vs-yellow-5"Sodium Nitrite vs Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) — Which Is Worse? | CheckIt AI." CheckIt AI, Climaverse PBC, 2026-04-11. https://getcheck.it/ingredients/sodium-nitrite-vs-yellow-5.<a href="https://getcheck.it/ingredients/sodium-nitrite-vs-yellow-5">Sodium Nitrite vs Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) — Which Is Worse? | CheckIt AI — CheckIt AI</a>@misc{checkit2026ingredientssodiumnitritevsyellow5,
title = {Sodium Nitrite vs Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) — Which Is Worse? | CheckIt AI},
author = {CheckIt AI},
year = {2026},
publisher = {Climaverse PBC},
url = {https://getcheck.it/ingredients/sodium-nitrite-vs-yellow-5},
note = {Retrieved 2026-04-11}
}