What's Banned, What's Not, and How to Spot Them in Ten Seconds (2026)
By Larry Betz | Prepared Not Paranoid https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/
Red 3 is banned. Red 40 isn't. If that's confusing, you're not alone. The rules on artificial food dyes changed faster in 2025 and 2026 than in the 30 years before, and the headlines made it sound like the problem was solved. It isn't. Most of these dyes are still legal and still on store shelves, including in the cereal, candy, and sports drinks your kids reach for first.
Artificial Food Colorings to Avoid
Artificial food colorings are synthetic dyes added to foods to enhance their appearance. Many are derived from petroleum and have been linked to various health concerns, including hyperactivity in children, allergic reactions, and potential carcinogenic effects. They add no nutrition, no flavor, and no shelf life. Their only job is to make food look a certain way.
Below is a list of common artificial food colorings to be cautious of:
1. Red No. 40 (Allura Red)
Found in: Soft drinks, candies, snacks, and baked goods
Health concerns: May cause hyperactivity in children. A 2022 study in Nature Communications found that long-term exposure triggered gut inflammation in mice. That's an animal finding, not proof of harm in people, but it's one more reason to limit it.
Status (October 2026): Still legal. Part of the FDA's voluntary phase-out, with a goal of the end of 2027.
2. Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue)
Found in: Baked goods, candies, and beverages
Health concerns: Potential to cause hypersensitivity reactions; some studies suggest possible effects on nerve cells.
Status (October 2026): Still legal; voluntary phase-out.
3. Blue No. 2 (Indigo Carmine)
Found in: Candies, beverages, and pet foods
Health concerns: Associated with brain tumors in male rats, raising concerns about its safety.
Status (October 2026): Still legal; voluntary phase-out.
4. Citrus Red No. 2
Found in: Used to color the skins of some Florida oranges
Health concerns: Toxic to rodents at modest levels and has been shown to cause tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. The World Health Organization's cancer agency lists it as possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Status (October 2026): Allowed only on orange peels, never the fruit inside. The FDA proposed removing it in July 2026, but it isn't final. If you zest oranges, buy organic.
5. Green No. 3 (Fast Green)
Found in: Candies, beverages, and ice cream
Health concerns: Caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats.
Status (October 2026): Still legal but rarely used; voluntary phase-out.
6. Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine)
Found in: Desserts, candies, and baked goods, plus pickles, boxed macaroni and cheese, and chips
Health concerns: May cause hypersensitivity reactions, including hives and asthma symptoms; potential links to hyperactivity in children. That's why the FDA requires it to be listed by name.
Status (October 2026): Still legal; voluntary phase-out.
7. Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow)
Found in: Sausages, beverages, and baked goods
Health concerns: Associated with adrenal tumors in animals and may cause severe hypersensitivity reactions.
Status (October 2026): Still legal; voluntary phase-out.
8. Red No. 2
Found in: Previously used in various food products
Health concerns: May cause both asthma and cancer; it has been banned in the U.S. since 1976 due to its potential carcinogenicity. You may still see it as "amaranth" or E123 on imported foods.
9. Red No. 3 (Erythrosine)
Found in: Cherries, candies, and baked goods
Health concerns: Recognized by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals.
Status (October 2026): Revoked. It was banned in cosmetics in 1990, and on January 15, 2025, the FDA finally revoked it for food too. Food makers have until January 15, 2027 to remove it, so you may still see it on shelves. If you see "Red 3" or "erythrosine," put it back.
10. Caramel Coloring
Found in: Soft drinks, sauces, pastries, and breads
Health concerns: Certain types, especially those produced with ammonia, have been shown to cause cancer in mice. Food companies are not required to disclose if this ingredient is made with ammonia. Those types can contain a byproduct called 4-MEI, which California lists as a chemical known to cause cancer. Since labels don't say which type was used, limiting colas and dark processed sauces is the simplest move.
11. Brown HT (Chocolate Brown HT)
Found in: Some packaged foods made outside the U.S., including chocolates and baked goods
Health concerns: May cause hyperactivity in children, asthma, and has been linked to cancer.
Status: Not approved for food in the U.S. You'd only find it on some imported products, listed as "E155."
12. Orange B
Found in: Hot dog and sausage casings
Health concerns: High doses have been associated with adverse effects on the liver and bile duct.
Status (October 2026): Revoked, effective September 8, 2026. It's no longer an approved U.S. food color.
13. Annatto (Bixin, Norbixin)
Found in: Dairy products, baked goods, and snack foods
Health concerns: Although a natural colorant, annatto has been linked to hyperactivity in children and allergic reactions such as asthma.
It's important to read ingredient labels carefully as these colorings are prevalent in many processed foods. Opting for products that use natural colorants or are free from artificial dyes can help minimize potential health risks.
The Strongest Evidence: Kids and Behavior
The best human evidence is on behavior. A well-known 2007 study from the University of Southampton, published in The Lancet, found that mixtures of certain artificial colors increased hyperactive behavior in ordinary children, not just children with ADHD. Since 2010, the European Union has required a warning label on foods with six of these dyes: "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." In 2021, California's state health hazard office reviewed the research and concluded that synthetic dyes can cause or worsen behavior problems in some children.
Not every child reacts. But if you notice a pattern after brightly colored snacks, keep a simple food diary and talk with your pediatrician.
What's Changed in 2025 and 2026
January 2025: The FDA revoked Red No. 3 for food.
April 2025: HHS and the FDA announced a plan to move away from petroleum-based dyes and asked companies to drop the remaining six. It's voluntary. The FDA has not banned them, and as of October 2026 its goal is the end of 2027.
2025 and 2026: The FDA approved several colors from natural sources, like butterfly pea flower, gardenia blue, and a blue from algae.
February 2026: "No artificial colors" on a label now means no petroleum-based dyes. It can still contain added colors from natural sources.
September 2026: Orange B was revoked. Citrus Red No. 2 is next in line.
Several states have gone further.
Here in Arizona, synthetic dyes are now banned in school food starting with the 2026 to 2027 school year. That changes what your kids eat at school, but the snacks in your pantry are still up to you.
Many companies have pledged to remove dyes, including Nestlé (complete), Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Hershey, and Walmart's store brands. These are promises, not laws, and some companies now sell dye-free versions right next to the original. Check which one you're picking up.
How to Spot Dyes in Ten Seconds
Flip the package and scan the last third of the ingredient list, where colors usually appear.
Here's what to look for.
Where dyes hide: neon candy, sports drinks, frosted cereal, and fruit snacks are obvious. Also check pickles and relish, salad dressings, flavored yogurt, boxed macaroni and cheese, chewable vitamins, children's medicines, toothpaste, frosting and sprinkles, and pet treats. Don't stop a prescribed medicine on your own because of a dye. Ask your pharmacist for a dye-free version.
Organic is your simplest shortcut. Artificial dyes and synthetic food colorings are not allowed in products labeled USDA Certified Organic.
According to USDA Organic Standards:
Certified organic foods cannot contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Only natural colorings derived from plants, minerals, or other natural sources are permitted.
Synthetic additives (like Red 40, Yellow 5, or Blue 1) are explicitly prohibited in organic certification.
Dyes and Your Emergency Food Supply
Many emergency food kits, drink mixes, and electrolyte powders contain artificial colors, and hard candy, a common go-bag morale item, is often loaded with them. In an emergency, you'll eat whatever you stored, possibly for weeks. Choose dye-free versions now, while you have time to compare. For morale treats, pick organic or dye-free candy, dark chocolate, or dried fruit.
Ask Yourself
Do I know which foods in my pantry still contain petroleum-based dyes?
Am I trusting "no artificial colors" without reading the ingredient list?
If we lived on our stored food for two weeks, how much of it would be artificially colored?
Remember
The rules are finally moving, but most dyes are still legal and the phase-out is voluntary. You don't have to wait for the FDA. Look for a color with a number after it, and put it back.
Get Started Today
[FREE DOWNLOAD: TO BE CHOSEN AFTER THE BINDER REVIEW]
Go Deeper
The Prepared Not Paranoid Family Nutrition Guide. This post gives you the status of every dye. The guide's full chapter adds the complete company pledge tracker, the new natural colors and what they're made from, every E number to watch for on imports, and the "Ingredients to Avoid" wallet card so you can check labels in the store. [Get it here: LINK]
Tools I recommend: The dye-free electrolyte powders and organic snacks I recommend are in my Amazon store. https://amzn.to/4yM747h
Related reading:
Toxic Chemicals to Avoid, Part 1: Reading Labels and Food Additives to Avoid https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/pnp-library/toxic-chemicals-lesson-1
Toxic Chemicals to Avoid, Part 2: Artificial Sweeteners and the GRAS Loophole https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/pnp-library/toxic-chemicals-lesson-1-9axkp
Nutrition Basics, Part 14: Food Label Claims Decoded https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/pnp-library/nutrition-lesson-8
Nutrition Basics, Part 9: Ultra-Processed Foods https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/pnp-library/ultra-processed-foods
References
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs. January 15, 2025.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and FDA. HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation's Food Supply. April 22, 2025.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum-Based Food Dyes. Content current as of October 16, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/food/color-additives-information-consumers/tracking-food-industry-pledges-remove-petroleum-based-food-dyes
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Takes New Approach to "No Artificial Colors" Claims. February 6, 2026.
RegBase. FDA Revokes Orange B and Moves on Citrus Red No. 2. Updated September 2026. https://regbase.com/analysis/orange-b-citrus-red-2-revocations/
Policy Canary. Red 40 (Allura Red) FDA Status 2026: Phase-Out, State Bans and Compliance. https://policycanary.io/ingredients/red-40
McCann D, et al. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community. The Lancet, 2007.
California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Health Effects Assessment: Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes in Children. 2021.
Kwon YH, et al. Chronic exposure to synthetic food colorant Allura Red AC promotes susceptibility to experimental colitis. Nature Communications, 2022.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. National Organic Program standards (7 CFR Part 205).
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. If you suspect a food dye is affecting your child's behavior or skin, keep a food diary and talk with your pediatrician before making big changes to their diet. Affiliate disclosure: I've linked to products from my Amazon store that I personally recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.
If your child has hives, swelling, wheezing, or trouble breathing after eating, call 911.
Awareness gives you time. Time gives you options.
The prepared protector is someone who's decided that loving someone means being ready for them, not just hoping things go fine.
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