Chlorophyllins (E140ii)

Chlorophyllins are the colors the food industry lists as E140ii. In our table they are moderate risk: they take 15 points off the additive subscore, a third of a product's score (about 5 of the 100).

What Chlorophyllins do to a score

A packaged food's additive subscore starts at 100 and loses points for each additive on the label; that subscore is a third of the final score. Chlorophyllins take 15 points off the additive subscore, a third of a product's score (about 5 of the 100). Scan the pack in Sito and the score you get is the one for your own child's age, with this additive named in the reasons. How we score has the whole method.

What the sources found

Every classification in our table comes from the citations below, and nothing else. Each finding is our one-line summary of what the source concluded, with the source and reference beside it.

• EFSA 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4085 (EFSA Journal 2015;13(5):4085 — Scientific Opinion on re-evaluation of chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)) as food additives)
  There are no data regarding the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) and toxicity of chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)); read-across for toxicity data from chlorophylls could not be supported; 'considering the absence of relevant ADME and toxicity data, and because chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)) are neither natural constituents of the regular human diet nor metabolites of chlorophylls in humans, the Panel concluded that it was not possible to assess the safety of chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)) as food additives.'
• EFSA European Commission, 'Call for scientific and technical data on the permitted food additives E 140(i) chlorophylls, E 140(ii) chlorophyllins, E 141(i) copper complexes of chlorophylls and E 141(ii) copper complexes of chlorophyllins', published 7 April 2017 (food.ec.europa.eu)
  Official EU restatement of the EFSA conclusions, and the source of the E 140(i)/E 140(ii) split: 'The Panel noted that in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, chlorophylls and chlorophyllins are authorised with the same E number, E 140. However, according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012, separate specifications are defined for chlorophylls (E 140(i)) and chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)).' Also records that the material used in many studies identified as 'chlorophyllins' was quite often, if not always, a copper complex of chlorophyllins (E 141(ii)).
• EFSA FAF Working Group on Re-evaluation and Follow-up, meeting minutes (efsa.europa.eu, wg-food-additives-re-evaluation-follow-up); EC call for scientific and technical data on E 140(i), E 140(ii), E 141(i), E 141(ii), submission deadline 25 November 2025
  Recorded for completeness, not as part of the basis for this classification: the follow-up re-evaluation EFSA-Q-2024-00456 is in progress with the data call closed 2025-11-25 and WG meetings scheduled through March 2026. No adopted or published opinion exists as of 2026-08, so the 2015 'not possible to assess the safety' conclusion remains EFSA's current position.

Why this class

IARC Group 2B; or an EFSA re-evaluation that flagged genotoxicity data gaps, found safety could not be assessed on the available data, or cut the ADI citing child exposure; or an EU harmonised classification of the substance as a reproductive or developmental hazard; or an EU withdrawal of one authorised food use while others remain; or an OEHHA/Proposition 65 listing; or membership of the Southampton-six colourants.

Our confidence in this row's classification is high. Medium or low does not mean the evidence is weak; it means something about the row is still being pinned down, usually a regulatory status confirmed from one source rather than two.

Questions parents ask

Are Chlorophyllins (E140ii) safe for kids?

Moderate risk. In Sito it takes 15 points off the additive subscore, a third of a product's score (about 5 of the 100). The finding we rely on: There are no data regarding the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) and toxicity of chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)); read-across for toxicity data from chlorophylls could not be supported; 'considering the absence of relevant ADME and toxicity data, and because chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)) are neither natural constituents of the regular human diet nor metabolites of chlorophylls in humans, the Panel concluded that it was not possible to assess the safety of chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)) as food additives.' (EFSA, 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4085 (EFSA Journal 2015;13(5):4085, Scientific Opinion on re-evaluation of chlorophyllins (E 140(ii)) as food additives)).

What is E140ii?

E140ii is the E number for Chlorophyllins, which our table lists as a color. It is one of the forms of E140 (Chlorophylls and chlorophyllins) in our table, with E140i. Open Food Facts tags it en:e140ii.

Next to it on the label

The E numbers either side of E140ii in our table, then the closest colors by number.

• Blue 1 (E133), low risk, flagged for young children
• Chlorophylls and chlorophyllins (E140), no risk identified
• Chlorophylls (E140i), no risk identified
• Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins (E141), moderate risk
• Green S (E142), no risk identified
• Green 3 (E143), low risk, flagged for young children