Candy-colored cereal. Neon pickles. Wasabi peas. Many popular foods get their eye appeal from artificial dyes. Artificial dyes are just what they sound like: synthetic colorants used in food products to make them look appealing to kids and grownups.
Recently, artificial dyes have become a hotly debated topic. You may have seen the subject pop up in the news or on social media.
Some of what you see can be pretty alarming, so it’s understandable if you’re wondering whether some of your grocery store staples could be harmful to your health.
As a registered dietitian, I’m here to share the facts on artificial food dyes and their potential impacts.
What Are Artificial Food Dyes?
Artificial food dyes are often derived from petroleum chemicals (1).
Many artificial dyes are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for use in processed foods, gummy vitamins, and medicines (1, 2).
Some of the most commonly used artificial food dyes (10) include:
- Red 3 (Erythrosine): cherry-red hue.
- Red 40 (Allura Red): dark red dye.
- Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): lemon-yellow dye.
- Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow): orange-yellow hue.
- Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue): a greenish-blue dye.
- Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine): royal blue color.
- Green 3 (Fast Green): grassy green dye.
The FDA recently banned the use of Red 3 in foods, supplements, and oral medications, but companies have until January 2027 or 2028 to remove the dye from their products (14).
For now, both the FDA and the EFSA still approve using Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Blue 2 (12). Some other dyes are approved by one regulatory body but not the other. Red 40 is the most widely used food dye (3).
These artificial colors could show up in foods like (11):
- Breakfast cereals
- Packaged baked goods
- Preserved fruits
- Ice creams
- Jarred pickles
- Packaged soups
- Popsicles
- Candies and fruit gummies
- Condiments and sauces
- Cheese-flavored snacks
- Savory snacks, like flavored popcorn and chips
- Slushy and frozen drinks
- Sports drinks and soft drinks
- Cake-decorating gels and icings
Since 2010, foods with certain artificial dyes in Europe carry a warning label that reads, “May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children” (5).
There isn’t an equivalent labeling system in the United States. That’s because there is not enough evidence to deem approved dyes unsafe, according to the FDA (12).
Potential Health Impacts of Artificial Food Dyes
Some research has raised possible concerns about artificial food dyes. This research suggests that artificial dyes may impact children’s behavioral health (6).
For example, a 2021 report by California’s OEHHA linked artificial dyes to behavioral issues like hyperactivity in children (7). One 2024 review of 15 studies suggests that artificial food dyes may harm health. Again, these risks are of even greater concern for children (8).
Due to research on their possible behavioral effects, California banned six artificial dyes in public schools in 2024. This was known as the California School Food Safety Act. Since then, 11 states have introduced similar legislation banning certain food dyes and additives (15, 16).
The acceptable daily intakes for these dyes were set decades ago, before the most current research was conducted (6). Newer studies suggest that current acceptable daily intakes may be set too high for children, who may be more vulnerable to the potential effects of food dyes (6).
In 2018, a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics urged a safety review (9). More research is needed to fully understand the possible impact of food dyes.
What does all this mean for you?
In the absence of conclusive research on the possible health impacts of artificial dyes, you may want to consider limiting them, especially if you feed children, as a precaution. Luckily this has become easier to do, with many naturally colored foods entering the market.
If You Want to Be Mindful of Artificial Food Dyes
Here’s what you can do if you want to limit the artificial food dyes in your diet:
- Choose whole foods: Reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods and focus on a diet rich in healthy, whole foods. This will automatically reduce your intake of artificial food dyes with the added bonus of improving overall health.
- Be informed: Check food labels. Identify dyes in your go-to food products and find or make natural alternatives.
- Teach kids about healthy eating: Show them how to make food choices. This will help them understand why you might be switching to new choices for some of their snacks.
- Go natural: Thanks to shoppers asking for it, foods dyed with natural ingredients are available in most grocery stores. You can also experiment with natural alternatives to add color and flavor to food at home, such as:
- Blue Spirulina (blue)
- Red beet powder (red)
- Turmeric or carrots (orange)
- Saffron (yellow-orange)
- Berries like raspberries and blueberries (pink, blue, purple)
- Red cabbage (blue)
- Matcha or spinach (green)
Each natural dye will have slightly different prep methods. You can easily find them online. This is a fun activity for kids, and they get to see how they can color foods without using artificial dyes.
By taking these steps, you can help limit artificial dyes for you and your family.
Artificial food dyes are a hot topic for health-conscious consumers. Some people choose to limit the artificial food dyes in their diet because research suggests these dyes may have unwanted effects, especially for kids. More research is needed.
It may not be realistic for you to eliminate artificial dyes from your diet completely. So enjoy your favorite candy, drink, or other treats in moderation, whether it has natural or artificial ingredients. That’s balance!
