Food Color Additives




Names of Food Color Additives on Product Labels:

Common food color additives include: FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red Nos. 3 and 40, FD&C Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2, annatto extract, beta-carotene, grape skin extract, cochineal extract or carmine acid, paprika oleoresin, caramel color, fruit and vegetable juices, and saffron

(Note: Exempt color additives are not required to be declared by name on labels but may be declared simply as colorings or color added).

What Food Color Additives do:

Food color additives offset color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, moisture and storage conditions; correct natural variations in color; enhance colors that occur naturally; and, provide color to colorless and "fun" foods.

Examples of Uses for Food Color Additives:

They are used in many processed foods (e.g., candies, snack foods margarine, cheese, soft drinks, jams/jellies, gelatins, pudding and pie fillings).


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Food Additives Resources


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Get answers about food additives and ingredients.


Food and Drug Administration fda.gov


Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) fda.gov/Food  5100 Paint Branch Parkway College Park, MD 20740-3835


Color Additives Information fda.gov Color Additives 

Toll free information line: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (723-3366)

U.S. Department of Agriculture


Food Safety and Inspection Service fsis.usda.gov Food Safety Education Staff 1400 Independence Ave., SW Room 2932-S

Washington, DC 20250-3700


Food Additives Information usda.gov Fact Sheets on Additives

Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-800-535-4555

TTY: 1-800-256-7072

Email: fsis@usda.gov


Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)

USDA Ag Research Service

10301 Baltimore Ave.

Beltsville, MD 20705-2351

301-504-5719

Email: fnic@nal.usda.gov


International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC) IFIC

1100 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 430

Washington, DC 20036

202-296-6540                Email: foodinfo@ific.org


American Dietetic Association (ADA) ADA

216 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60606-6995

312-899-0040


The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) FAAN

11781 Lee Jackson Hwy. Suite 160 Fairfax, VA 22033 1-800-929-4040

Email: faan@foodallergy.org


Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) IFT

525 West Van Buren Suite 1000 Chicago, IL 60607 1-800-IFT-FOOD (438-3663)