Liquorice Extract

Liquorice Extract carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 34 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Liquorice Extract highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Liquorice Extract34
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Liquorice Extract has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Liquorice Extract currently appears in 34 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

Liquorice Extract serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.

No specific concern flags are attached to Liquorice Extract in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Liquorice Extract
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 34 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 34 of 34 products

Australian Black Licorice Candy, Australian Black Licorice
Wegmans
100/100
Bassett's Liquorice Allsorts Travel Pack 800G
Unknown
100/100
Bassetts allsorts candy
Unknown
100/100
Bassetts allsorts candy
Unknown
100/100
Bassetts allsorts candy
Unknown
100/100
Bassetts allsorts candy
Unknown
100/100
Bassetts allsorts candy licorice
Unknown
100/100
bean curd pockets
Unknown
100/100
Bite size liquorice
Unknown
100/100
Dark Soy Sauce
Kung Fu Dragon
100/100
Darrell lea, soft eating liquorice, blueberry & pomegranate
Darrell Lea
100/100
Darrell lea, soft eating liquorice, pineapple
Darrell Lea
100/100
Dsd merchandisers, gourmet black licorice candy
Dsd Merchandisers
20/100
Dsd merchandisers, gourmet strawberry licorice
Dsd Merchandisers
75/100
Gourmet english style licorice allsorts
Unknown
100/100
Gustaf's, allsorts gourmet english licorice
Gustaf's
100/100
Licorice allsort
Unknown
100/100
Licorice Allsorts
Dutch Valley Food Distributors
100/100
Liquorice allsorts
Unknown
100/100
Liquorice Allsorts Sweets Bag
Maynards Bassetts
100/100
Liquorice Allsorts Sweets Bag
Unknown
100/100
Mentos, Drop, Chewy Sweets, Licorice
Perfetti Van Melle Benelux B.V.
100/100
Mini licorice allsorts
Unknown
100/100
Morbidezze
Sperlari
100/100
Red australian licorice
Unknown
75/100
Soft Eating Liquorice
Betta Foods Australia Pty Ltd
95/100
Soft eating liquorice
Betta Food Australia Pty Ltd
100/100
Soft Eating Liquorice Bites
Capricorn
95/100
Soft Eating Liquorice, Green Apple
Darrell Lea
100/100
soybean curd pockets
Unknown
100/100
Stix Chocolate, Strawberry & White Chocolate
Darrell Lea
100/100
Stockley's, Candies
British Wholesale Imports Inc.
25/100
The snap of belgian chocolate in soft aussie liquorice!, mango & white chocolate
Unknown
100/100
Valued naturals, licorice allsorts
Valued Naturals
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Liquorice Extract safe to eat?

Liquorice Extract has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Liquorice Extract?

Liquorice Extract is found in 34 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Liquorice Extract do in food?

Liquorice Extract serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.