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The US food dye phase-out: what is banned, what is voluntary and what to check.

Updated

What the FDA has actually done about synthetic food dyes: the Red 3 revocation and its January 15, 2027 food deadline, the voluntary 2027 phase-out target for Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3, company pledges, and the products in our catalog that still list a dye.

Quick answer

Only one synthetic dye has been revoked for US food: FD&C Red No. 3. Food makers must stop using it by January 15, 2027. For Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3 there is no ban; the FDA announced a voluntary effort in April 2025, and its tracker now says it is working toward elimination by the end of 2027. Many large companies have made their own pledges.

Revoked
Red 3 (food by Jan 15, 2027)
Voluntary target
Six dyes, end of 2027
Announced
April 22, 2025
FDA page dated
Oct 16, 2026

Your avoid list

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01 · A closer look

Red No. 3 is the only dye revoked.

The FDA revoked authorization for FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs under the Delaney Clause. Manufacturers have until January 15, 2027 to reformulate food and January 18, 2028 for ingested drugs; products made before the date may still be sold after it. The FDA has encouraged earlier removal.

FDA: FD&C Red No. 3 (current as of Oct 5, 2026)

02 · A closer look

The voluntary phase-out of six dyes.

On April 22, 2025 HHS and the FDA announced a plan to work with industry to eliminate petroleum-based dyes, naming FD&C Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2, to begin revoking Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B, and to fast-track natural color additives. The original goal was the end of 2026; the FDA’s tracking page, current as of October 16, 2026, says the agency is working toward elimination of the six by the end of 2027. The FDA describes industry response as voluntary commitments, not a binding rule.

HHS and FDA: phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes (April 22, 2025)

03 · A closer look

Company pledges.

The FDA’s tracker lists pledges with differing scope and dates. Examples it records include Walmart (private-brand foods by January 2027), General Mills (U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods by summer 2026, full retail portfolio by end of 2027), Conagra (U.S. retail portfolio by end of 2027), WK Kellogg (existing products by end of 2026) and trade-group commitments extending to 2028. Pledge status changes often; check the tracker for the company in question.

FDA: tracking food industry pledges to remove petroleum-based food dyes (current as of Oct 16, 2026)

04 · A closer look

What it means when you shop.

Until reformulation reaches shelves, the ingredient list is the only reliable check. Look for Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3 and their Lake forms. US rules require these dyes to be named, so they cannot hide behind “artificial color”, though butter, cheese and ice cream do not have to list most added colors at all. The catalog products below still list at least one artificial dye on their recorded label; each product page shows its label date, and makers can change formulas without notice. Pairing a dye-free preference with our avoid list shows the change on every comparison table.

05 · A closer look

Dyes and health: what is and is not settled.

The FDA has not concluded that the six dyes are unsafe at permitted levels. Concern centers on possible behavioral effects in some children and on regulators’ and states’ own restrictions. CleanFoodScore reports what is on the label and does not make medical claims.

The short answer

Our picks for us food dye ban

No pick yetEvery scored us food dye ban label lists at least one of the groups we check, so nothing here earns a pick.

Clear noMountain Dew Soda (lists seed oils, artificial dyes, artificial preservatives, corn syrups and banned-abroad additives), Totino's Pepperoni Pizza Rolls (lists seed oils, artificial dyes, artificial preservatives and banned-abroad additives), Knorr Shrimp Bouillon (lists seed oils, artificial dyes, MSG and corn syrups), plus 21 more with a listed group.

Ranked from 24 of 24 products with current labels. Every product is in the table below; a score reflects labels and claims, not nutrition, allergies or safety.

Compare the recorded labels

Find the ingredients that matter to you.

24 of 24 products

“No …” columns: None found on the label · Listed on the label · Unknown. Diet fit: Fits · Doesn’t fit · Unknown (rules; not medical advice). Claims: verified · not established. Default: most check marks first; not a health score.

Compare product claims and recorded ingredients. Click a column heading to sort.
Buy
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
63 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimBuy on Amazon ↗Product details →2
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →2
55 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
53 / 1008 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →1
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →2
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
47 / 1007 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →2
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimFind where to buy ↗Product details →2
47 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
40 / 1006 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →3
39 / 1005 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →1
39 / 1005 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →1
39 / 1005 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →1
39 / 1005 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
31 / 1004 of 9 groups clear · no organic claimProduct details →2
How the clean score works

No setup needed, and strict: a full 100 needs every additive group clear and a verified organic claim (animal foods also need a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim; wild seafood and salt, which have no USDA organic standard, are scored without the organic points, and plant-based milks, cheeses and proteins without the feeding claim). Points: the nine additive groups (seed oils, artificial dyes, MSG, artificial sweeteners, carrageenan, artificial preservatives, hydrogenated oils, corn syrups, banned-abroad additives) share 60 points equally — not found earns a group’s full share, “may contain” earns half, listed earns 0; a verified organic claim is worth 25; a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim is worth 15 and counts only for animal foods. No claim, or an expired or unverified claim, earns nothing, so products without those claims cannot reach 100. Unverified or expired ingredient labels receive no score. Equal scores are equal. Ties are ordered by brand. Unknown and stale evidence never passes “Only show matches.” Producer claims and prices do not affect this score. This is not a nutrition, allergy, or safety rating.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying links do not influence ingredient results. “Buy on Amazon” opens a reviewed product listing; “Find where to buy” opens the maker’s page. Confirm the package, seller, stock, and current price before checkout. Price observations expire after 30 days.

Primary sources

Sources

  1. FDA: tracking food industry pledges to remove petroleum-based food dyes (current as of Oct 16, 2026) fda.gov
  2. HHS and FDA: phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes (April 22, 2025) fda.gov
  3. FDA: FD&C Red No. 3 (current as of Oct 5, 2026) fda.gov

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