Is CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) safe in cosmetics?
CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF)
Also known as: FD & C Blue No. 1 (Benzenemethanaminium, N-ethyl-N-[4-[[4-[ethyl[(3-sulfophenyl)methyl]amino]phenyl](2-sulfophenyl)methylene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene]-3-sulfo-, inner salt, disodium salt), Aizen Food Blue No. 2, Brilliant Blue FCF Supra, Canacert Brilliant Blue FCF, Cosmetic Blue Lake (+15 more)
INCI: CI 42090
CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) (CAS 3844-45-9) is a cosmetic colorant functioning as Colorant, Hair Dyeing Agent. NOAEL 631 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 0.5% (hair dye use; no limit as general colorant under Annex IV Part 1). Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Function
Colorant, Hair Dyeing Agent
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
0.5% (hair dye use; no limit as general colorant under Annex IV Part 1)
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permanently listed color additive (FD&C Blue No. 1) since 1969; batch certification required. Approved for general use in food, drugs, and cosmetics with no concentration cap.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF).
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF). NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | 200 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rabbit | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 250 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mouse | Carcinogenicity | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Multigeneration Reproductive | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1319 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Carcinogenicity | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1500 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 2500 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Human; Rat | Reproductive toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Human; Rat | Reproductive toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Human; Rat | Reproductive toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =200 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI | <=6 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =631 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =631 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| NOEL | =2000 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | acute | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =2 % diet | Mouse | oral | chronic | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =2 % diet | Mouse | oral | chronic | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =1 % diet | Rat | oral | chronic | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =2 % diet | Rat | oral | chronic | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | =5 % | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =5 % | Rat | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
16, Sup 7
Evaluation Year
1987
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (3)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BR | permitted_colorant | - | Column 2: All products except eye area |
| ASEAN | restricted | 0.5% | Non-oxidative hair dye products only |
| ASEAN | permitted_colorant | - | All products (0.5% limit in non-oxidative hair dye — Annex III) |
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | 0.001–0.1 | 0.5 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
91
Lowest NOAEL
0.414
Highest NOAEL
9000
Units vary across source rows: mg/kg, mg/kg bw/day, mg/kg bw/d
SCCNFP Opinion
WHO/JECFA
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
FD & C Blue No. 1 (Benzenemethanaminium, N-ethyl-N-[4-[[4-[ethyl[(3-sulfophenyl)methyl]amino]phenyl](2-sulfophenyl)methylene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene]-3-sulfo-, inner salt, disodium salt)
Aizen Food Blue No. 2
Brilliant Blue FCF Supra
Canacert Brilliant Blue FCF
Cosmetic Blue Lake
EINECS 223-339-8
FD & C Blue No. 1
FDC Blue No. 1
Fenazo Blue XI
Food Blue Dye No. 1
Hexacol Brilliant Blue A
Intracid Pure Blue L
Japan Blue 1
Japan Blue No. 1
Merantine Blue EG
Usacert Blue No. 1
Usacert FD and C Blue No. 1
Modr Brilantni FCF
Modr Kysela 9
Modr Potravinarska 2
Chemical Function
Dye
Regulatory Lists
Europe; Personal care - hair coloring
Europe; Personal care - hair coloring
IFRA Transparency
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bath salts
children; Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - body wash
children; Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bubble bath
children; Europe; Personal care - dental care - toothpaste
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - body paint - tattoo ink; Europe
general_foods
pharmaceutical
Personal care
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL3184128
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Brilliant Blue FCF (FD&C Blue 1)
E Number
E133
ADI
6 mg/kg bw
Food Category
colorant
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) allowed in the EU?
CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.5% (hair dye use; no limit as general colorant under Annex IV Part 1). This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) do in cosmetics?
CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) functions as: Colorant, Hair Dyeing Agent. It is classified as a Colorant in our database. CAS number: 3844-45-9.
What is the NOAEL for CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF)?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) is 200 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in rabbit. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) used outside cosmetics?
CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check CI 42090 (Brilliant Blue FCF) compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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Chemical family
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