Dyes and additives
The list of artificial food dyes in the US
In US law, the dyes people call artificial are the "certified" color additives: synthetic colors that the FDA must test batch by batch before they can be sold.
Check an ingredient list against federal and state rules
Tracked dyes and additives found
4 found
Red 3 (E127): Out of school food from July 1, 2027
Read as ERYTHROSINE. FDA: FDA ban ordered, not yet in effect.
HB 1910 and SB 1289 (2025), school food: Enacted, not yet in effect
Yellow 5 (E102): Out of school food from July 1, 2027
Read as YELLOW 5. FDA: Allowed by FDA.
HB 1910 and SB 1289 (2025), school food: Enacted, not yet in effect
Yellow 6 (E110): Out of school food from July 1, 2027
Read as YELLOW NO. 6. FDA: Allowed by FDA.
HB 1910 and SB 1289 (2025), school food: Enacted, not yet in effect
Blue 2 (E132): Out of school food from July 1, 2027
Read as BLUE 2. FDA: Allowed by FDA.
HB 1910 and SB 1289 (2025), school food: Enacted, not yet in effect
A list can say "artificial color" or "color added" without naming the dye: only the label's own words are read. Legal status only, not health advice.
US rules divide food colors into two groups. Color additives subject to certification, listed in part 74 of title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, are the synthetic dyes: each batch is chemically analyzed by the FDA before it may be used. Color additives exempt from certification, in part 73, come mostly from plants, minerals or animals, such as beet juice, annatto, paprika or titanium dioxide, and need no batch testing. Nine certified dyes have been listed for food: Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3 for general use, and Citrus Red 2 and Orange B for single uses. As of November 1, 2026, Orange B has been revoked, Red 3 leaves food on January 15, 2027, Citrus Red 2 is the subject of a proposal, and the remaining six are covered only by the FDA's voluntary phase-out request. Under 21 CFR 101.22, a certified dye must be named in the ingredient list.
Which states keep this dye out of school food?
School-food rules naming Blue 2
9 states
| California: December 31, 2027 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| West Virginia | August 1, 2025 (in effect) |
| Texas: the 2026-2027 school year (food contracts entered into or renewed on or after September 1, 2026) (in effect) | |
| Utah: the 2026-2027 school year (in effect) | |
| Virginia: July 1, 2027 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| Louisiana: the 2028-2029 school year (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| Arizona: the 2026-2027 school year (in effect) | |
| Alaska: January 1, 2028 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| Iowa: school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
All food sold, not only schools: West Virginia.
Laws and FDA orders read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The certified dyes, one by one
| Federal name | Other names | EU number | Rule | FDA status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FD&C Red No. 40 | Allura Red AC, Red 40 Lake | E129 | 21 CFR 74.340 | Allowed by FDA |
| FD&C Red No. 3 | Erythrosine | E127 | 21 CFR 74.303 | FDA ban ordered, not yet in effect |
| FD&C Yellow No. 5 | Tartrazine | E102 | 21 CFR 74.705 | Allowed by FDA |
| FD&C Yellow No. 6 | Sunset Yellow FCF | E110 | 21 CFR 74.706 | Allowed by FDA |
| FD&C Blue No. 1 | Brilliant Blue FCF | E133 | 21 CFR 74.101 | Allowed by FDA |
| FD&C Blue No. 2 | Indigo carmine, Indigotine | E132 | 21 CFR 74.102 | Allowed by FDA |
| FD&C Green No. 3 | Fast Green FCF | E143 | 21 CFR 74.203 | Allowed by FDA |
| Citrus Red No. 2 | E121 | 21 CFR 74.302 | Still allowed; FDA proposed a ban | |
| Orange B | 21 CFR 74.250 (removed) | Banned nationwide by FDA |
How a certified dye reaches a label
A manufacturer of the color submits a sample of each batch to the FDA, which checks its composition against the specifications in part 74 and issues a certificate with a lot number. Only certified batches may be sold for food use. A food maker who uses one must list it by name. "Artificial color" on its own is not enough for a certified dye, and Yellow 5 has a further rule of its own requiring its name. That is why the ingredient checker can rely on the list.
What is not on this list
Several substances often grouped with dyes are something else in law. Titanium dioxide is a color exempt from certification. BVO, potassium bromate, propylparaben and BHA are food additives with other functions: a stabilizer, a dough conditioner, a preservative and an antioxidant. They are tracked on this site because state laws name them together with the dyes.
Which states keep this dye out of school food?
School-food rules naming Blue 2
9 states
| California: December 31, 2027 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| West Virginia | August 1, 2025 (in effect) |
| Texas: the 2026-2027 school year (food contracts entered into or renewed on or after September 1, 2026) (in effect) | |
| Utah: the 2026-2027 school year (in effect) | |
| Virginia: July 1, 2027 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| Louisiana: the 2028-2029 school year (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| Arizona: the 2026-2027 school year (in effect) | |
| Alaska: January 1, 2028 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
| Iowa: school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027 (enacted, not yet in effect) | |
All food sold, not only schools: West Virginia.
Colors listed for drugs and cosmetics
Part 74 also lists D&C colors, allowed in drugs and cosmetics but not in food, and some FD&C colors have extra uses there. A product such as a vitamin tablet may therefore list a color that is not on the food list. The FDA's Red 3 order separately ends its use in ingested drugs from January 18, 2028.