Amaranth is an artificial dark red to purple azo dye. It is also used to color cosmetics. Amaranth is commonly used in fish roe, aperitif wine drinks and Americano. It has been banned in the United States since 1976 by the FDA, because it is a suspected carcinogen. Amaranth (E 123) is an azo dye authorised as a food additive in the EU and has previously been evaluated by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1972, 1975, 1978 and 1984, and by the EU Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) in 1976, 1979 and 1983. Derived from the small herbaceous plant of the same name. A purplish-red (blackcurrant) synthetic coal tar or azo dye found in ice creams, gravy granules, jams, jelly, tinned fruit pie fillings and prawns and packeted cake mixes, soups and trifles. It appears to cause allergic and/or intolerance reactions, similar to nettle rash, particularly amongst those with an aspirin intolerance or asthmatics. can provoke asthma, eczema and hyperactivity; it caused birth defects and foetal deaths in some animal tests, possibly also cancer. Not recommended for consumption by children. It is banned in Norway, United States, Russia and Austria with a very restricted use in France and Italy (caviar only).