Food dyes and additives: what parents need to know

The short version

Additives are added to food to keep it safe for longer, or to change its color, texture or taste. The NHS says all food additives go through strict safety testing before they can be used. The FDA says most children have no adverse effects from color additives, though some evidence suggests certain children may be sensitive to them.

So there’s no need to worry about every ingredient. The simplest approach, from the AAP: offer mostly whole or minimally processed foods, which naturally contain few additives, and keep highly processed foods as an occasional extra.

Babies and young toddlers already skip most heavily colored foods anyway, because US and UK advice is to avoid added sugar up to age 4 (see salt and sugar for babies). Sweets, sugary drinks and frosted snacks are where most dyes are found.

The UK warning on six colours

Research funded by the UK Food Standards Agency found that certain artificial colours could cause increased hyperactivity in some children. They are:

• sunset yellow FCF (E110)
• quinoline yellow (E104)
• carmoisine (E122)
• allura red (E129)
• tartrazine (E102)
• ponceau 4R (E124)

Food and drink containing any of these must carry the warning: “May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children” (FSA).

What the warning means. It’s a caution about behavior in some children, not a sign that the food is poisonous. The FSA also points out that hyperactivity has many other causes, so being careful about what a child eats may help with hyperactive behavior but may not stop it.

What the AAP says

The AAP’s 2018 policy statement on food additives says artificial food colors may be linked to worse symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Its parent pages say:

• Strong evidence from several studies links artificial colors to children’s mood and behavior, especially hyperactivity in some children. They can cause irritability, restlessness and sleep problems, even in children without ADHD.
• More research is needed on how food colors affect behavior. For some children with ADHD or other behavior problems, avoiding artificial colors may help if they seem to make symptoms worse.
• If your child struggles with restlessness, poor sleep or anxiety that’s hard to manage, your pediatrician may suggest a trial without artificial colors.
• You don’t need to ban every sprinkle or bright snack. Focus on whole and minimally processed foods most of the time.
• Foods with “natural colors” may still be highly processed: naturally colored junk food is still junk food.

US labels and the dye phase-out

On US labels, the FDA requires certified (synthetic) colors to be named, such as FD&C Red No. 40 or “Red 40.” Colors from natural sources, such as beet, annatto or caramel, can be listed together as “color added” or “artificial colors.” Carmine (cochineal extract) must always be named, because it can cause allergic reactions in some people (FDA).

The AAP lists the common synthetic dyes to look for: Red 40 (allura red), Red 3, Yellow 5 (tartrazine), Yellow 6 (sunset yellow), Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3.

US rules are changing (FDA, page current as of October 2026):

• Red No. 3: the FDA revoked its authorization in January 2025. Manufacturers have until January 15, 2027, and the FDA has asked them to stop sooner.
• Orange B: authorization revoked. The FDA has proposed revoking Citrus Red No. 2 too.
• The FDA is working with the food industry to remove the six remaining synthetic dyes (Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1 and Blue 2) by the end of 2027, and has approved new natural color additives.

During the changeover, some products will still contain synthetic dyes. The ingredients list is the reliable place to check.

Where colors and additives hide

The AAP says ultraprocessed foods are the main source: breakfast cereals, snack bars and cookies, and sometimes yogurts, fruit cups, applesauce pouches and juice boxes. Children’s medicines can contain colors too: look for “dye-free” and check the inactive ingredients, or ask your pediatrician or pharmacist.

Label tips (AAP, FDA, NHS):

• Read the ingredients list, not front-of-pack claims.
• US: look for dye names and numbers, or “artificial color” or “color added.”
• UK: additives are listed by name or E number with their function, such as “colour” or “preservative” (NHS).
• Ingredients are listed by weight, so a dye near the start means more of it.

Nitrites in processed meats

Nitrites and nitrates (E249 to E252) are added to bacon, ham and other cured meats to keep them red and, mainly, to stop the growth of the bacteria that cause botulism (FSA). The FSA considers current levels safe and says processed meat can be part of a varied diet within NHS guidelines.

The AAP is more cautious. Its policy statement says nitrates and nitrites can interfere with thyroid hormones and may lead to the body making cancer-causing compounds, and the AAP says to try to avoid processed meats such as hot dogs and ham.

For young children, processed meats are already a “now and then” food because of salt: the CDC says to avoid feeding foods high in salt, such as lunch meats, sausages, hot dogs and ham, to young children. The site’s pages on bacon, ham, sausage and hot dogs start at 12 months and show safe forms. Nitrates found naturally in vegetables are a separate topic: see nitrates in vegetables.

Other additives parents ask about

• Sweeteners. The NHS says diet or reduced-sugar drinks aren’t recommended for babies and young children, and the AAP says to avoid drinks with stevia or artificial sweeteners. Aspartame needs to be avoided only by people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a condition found at birth (FSA).
• Glycerol in slush drinks. The FSA says children under 7 shouldn’t have slush ice drinks containing glycerol (E422), because they can cause headaches, sickness and, at high levels, low blood sugar, shock or loss of consciousness. Children under 10 should have no more than one 350 ml slush with glycerol a day (FSA). The NHS foods-to-avoid page says no slush ice drinks for children aged 7 and under.
• Sulphites. The NHS says a few people react to some additives like sulphites, but reactions to ordinary foods such as milk or soya are much more common. See the 14 allergens.
• Plastics. The AAP also counts chemicals that can move from packaging into food. It suggests not microwaving food or milk (including formula and breast milk) in plastic, washing plastic containers by hand, and using glass or stainless steel when you can.

When to talk to your doctor

Talk to your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

• you think a food or drink affects your child’s behavior, sleep or mood, before cutting out whole food groups
• your child has hives, a rash or tummy upset after a particular product

If your child has trouble breathing or wheezing, their lips, mouth, tongue or throat suddenly swell, or they turn pale, blue or floppy after eating anything, use their epinephrine (adrenaline) auto-injector if they have one, then call 911.call 999.call your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia). If you don’t have an auto-injector, call straight away. If you’re alone with your child, use the auto-injector first if they have one, then call on speaker straight away. Don’t leave your child to find a phone. Keep your child lying down, never standing or walking (on their side if they’re vomiting, head and shoulders a little raised if breathing is hard). See signs of anaphylaxis.

Where US and UK advice differs

• Six colours. UK labels carry the “activity and attention” warning on E110, E104, E122, E129, E102 and E124. US labels name synthetic dyes but carry no warning; instead, the FDA is phasing them out by the end of 2027.
• How labels name additives. UK: name or E number, with the function. US: synthetic colors by name and number; natural colors can be grouped as “color added.”
• Nitrites. The FSA considers permitted levels safe. The AAP says to try to avoid processed meats. For young children, both point the same way, because these meats are high in salt.