The warning
Under EU law, a food containing any of these colors must say it “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children,” next to the color’s name or E number.1
| E number | Name | US name |
|---|---|---|
| E102 | Tartrazine | FD&C Yellow No. 5 |
| E104 | Quinoline yellow | No FD&C name |
| E110 | Sunset yellow | FD&C Yellow No. 6 |
| E122 | Carmoisine | No FD&C name |
| E124 | Ponceau 4R | No FD&C name |
| E129 | Allura red | FD&C Red No. 40 |
A warning isn’t a ban. These colors are still permitted in the EU. The label just has to say so, which makes them easy to spot on a European package. On a US package, look for the names in the last column instead, often shortened to Yellow 5, Yellow 6 or Red 40.
What happened to Red 3 in the US
A different color, FD&C Red No. 3, also called erythrosine, is on its way out of US food. In January 2025 the FDA revoked its authorization for use in food and ingested drugs. For food, the order takes effect on January 15, 2027, which is the deadline for reformulating.2
The reason is legal as much as scientific. US law doesn’t allow a color to be authorized once it’s been found to cause cancer in animals. The FDA found that Red No. 3 “can induce cancer in male rats, through a rat specific hormonal mechanism.”2