Color Additive · CAS 1332-37-2
Iron Oxide
FDA status: Approved. EU: not separately listed. No U.S. state has enacted a specific ban yet.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Iron Oxide is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it independently of federal policy. By tracked product count it ranks #253 of 417.
- #253 of 417 by tracked product prevalence
The verdict
Iron Oxide is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it. By Open Food Facts product count it sits #253 of 417 among additives with tracked product presence (38th percentile).
- 4/5
- Low Risk
- Approved
- FDA status
- #253 of 417
- product-prevalence rank
- 0
- state regulations
How widely this ingredient shows up, and its regulatory record
Iron Oxide: 7 tracked U.S. products (moderate band, #253 of 417) frame how often this additive appears on shelves.
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tracked Products | 7 · #253 of 417 | Open Food Facts (US) |
| FDA Status | Approved | FDA SAFFA |
| EU Status | Not separately listed | EC 1333/2008 |
| E-Number | - | EU additive register |
| CAS Number | 1332-37-2 | CAS Registry |
| Category | Color Additive | FDA functional class |
| Composite Safety Score | 4 / 5 (Low Risk) | PlainIngredients methodology |
| EFSA ADI | Not in our EFSA data | EFSA scientific opinion |
| U.S. State Actions | 0 states | State legislative records |
Values reflect official agency classifications as published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union's regulatory framework. See our methodology for scoring details.
What is Iron Oxide?
Iron Oxide (CAS 1332-37-2) is an FDA-regulated food substance used as color or coloring adjunct, surface-finishing agent.
Common Uses
Shelf-footprint peer axes
Nationwide peers for a moderate OFF footprint
Nearest OFF product-count peers (7 tracked here); safety-score column omitted on prevalence-led pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iron Oxide safe to consume?
Iron Oxide scores 4/5 (Low Risk). FDA status is Approved. On the Open Food Facts U.S. sample it is a moderate additive (7 tracked products, #253 of 417), so product footprint, not just the score label, frames how widely a shopper will meet it.
What is Iron Oxide used for in food?
Iron Oxide shows up as color or coloring adjunct, surface-finishing agent in the Color Additive class, and the OFF sample puts it in the moderate footprint band (7 products).
Where does Iron Oxide sit among food additives PlainIngredients tracks?
Among additives with at least one tracked product, it ranks #253 of 417 by Open Food Facts product count. See /methodology#corpus-placement for the ranking bases.