Iron Oxides (Red, Yellow, Black)

A family of inorganic colorants comprising synthetic iron oxide red (Fe2O3), iron oxide yellow (FeO(OH) or hydrated Fe2O3), and iron oxide black (Fe3O4 or magnetite). Listed in the EU as E172. Produces a hue ranging from yellow ochre through orange and red to brown and jet black depending on grade.

Yellow ochre, brick red, deep red, brown, or jet black free-flowing fine powder. Insoluble in water, oil, and most solvents; dispersed by physical means in the application matrix.

We supply food-grade Iron Oxides from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production. All three primary shades and blended intermediate shades are produced.

Common market grades are sold by shade (red, yellow, black, brown) and by particle size distribution. Pharmaceutical and food-grade material is produced from synthetic precipitation routes to assure low heavy metal content and consistent color, distinct from the lower-grade natural ochre pigments used for industrial applications.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering iron oxide content, water-soluble matter, heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury), and microbiology.

Iron oxides are among the oldest pigments known to humanity, with use as cave painting pigments dating back tens of thousands of years. Modern food and pharmaceutical use developed in the twentieth century alongside expansion of the tablet and capsule industries.

Production for food and pharmaceutical use proceeds by synthetic precipitation routes rather than mining of natural ochres. Iron salts (typically sulfate or chloride) are precipitated and calcined under controlled conditions to yield the three primary shades: red (anhydrous Fe2O3), yellow (hydrated FeO(OH)), and black (mixed Fe2+/Fe3+ magnetite Fe3O4). The product is milled to defined particle size and purified to meet food and pharmaceutical specifications.

Regulated as E172 in the EU and listed by the U.S. FDA as a permitted color additive exempt from certification for specified uses including pet food, sausage casings, and dietary supplement tablets. Approved by JECFA with an Acceptable Daily Intake of 0.5 mg per kg body weight expressed as iron. Direct food use is restricted in some jurisdictions and broadly permitted in pharmaceutical and pet food applications worldwide.

Technical performance is excellent: fully stable through baking, retort, UHT, and frying, full pH compatibility across the food range, and excellent light stability. The principal specification concerns are heavy metal content (controlled to pharmaceutical-grade limits) and particle size distribution, which affects color development and dispersion.

Strategically, Iron Oxides are the dominant inorganic colorant family in pharmaceutical and pet-food applications and are positioned as a stable, label-friendly alternative to synthetic dyes in tablet coating, capsule shells, and pet food where the mineral origin supports clean-label positioning.

• Pharmaceutical tablet coatings and capsules; the dominant application of food-grade iron oxides globally
• Pet food including dry kibble and treats for visual appeal
• Salmon and trout aquaculture feed for color enhancement (specific grades only)
• Cake decorations and specialty bakery work in EU markets
• Sugar confectionery and panned candy decorations
• Sausage casings and meat product coatings in EU markets
• Sports nutrition and dietary supplement tablets and capsules
• Cosmetics including mineral makeup, foundations, and eye shadow
• Personal-care and dental hygiene products