Food additives are commonly used to prevent or slow spoilage during storage, preserve vitamin content, or alter food’s appearance, taste, and texture. Food coloring is a type of additive that is functionally unnecessary — its sole purpose is to make food appear more colorful. Unsurprisingly, food dye is common in mass-produced packaged foods that you might be tempted to take backpacking. Common “backpacking” foods containing food dye include packaged food containing dried fruit and vegetables, cheese mix, butter powder, and gelatin. This includes –
- Pasta dishes
- Rice dishes
- Soup mix
- Trail mix
- Granola bars & Pop tarts
- Cheese-flavored chips and crackers
- Spice mixes & dressing mixes
- Instant potatoes
- Instant pudding
- Jell-O
- Artificially flavored fruit cereals
- Candy
Besides indicating low-quality food, concerns about the safety and potential health effects of food dyes are increasing. This discussion will highlight some reasons to be wary of food dye.
Types of Food Colors
Artificial food dyes are created from petroleum-based chemicals. In the United States, foods that contain FDA-approved artificial colors are identified by FD&C numbers. In contrast, natural food colors are derived from sources found in nature, primarily plants, but they can also include insects. In the European Union, food colors, both natural and artificial, are represented by E numbers. Other countries have their own regulations and lists of approved food colors. Many food dyes that are permitted in the USA are banned in other countries.
- Artificial food dyes include Yellow food dyes No. 5 (E102), Yellow No. 6 (E110), Red Dye No. 3 (E127), and Red Dye No. 40 (E129); Sometimes you’ll see the term “lake” used in food coloring; Lake is a water-insoluble form of a pigment dye used in fatty foods and low-moisture foods.
- Natural food colors include Yellow (turmeric), Red (beets, paprika, carmine), Orange (beta carotene), Brown (annatto, caramel), and Green (chlorophyll/spiriluna).
Artificial Food Coloring Concerns
- Possible health effects: It’s crucial to be aware of the potential health effects of food dyes. Some studies have linked food dyes to various health problems such as hyperactivity, allergies, migraine headaches, and cancer. Three commonly used dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6), have been shown to cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children. They may also contain contaminants such as benzidine that are linked to cancer.¹
- Food allergies: Food dyes can cause food allergies and sensitivities in some people. Symptoms include hives, itching, and breathing difficulties when consuming foods containing dyes. Four dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) cause hypersensitivity reactions.The FDA says reactions to food coloring are rare but acknowledges that Yellow No. 5, used widely in drinks, processed vegetables, cereals, baked goods, and drugs, can cause itching and hives.²
- Lack of regulation: It’s concerning to note that food dyes are not subject to the same level of regulation as other food additives. Their safety is often based on self-reported studies by the manufacturers, which raises questions about the accuracy of the information provided about them. This lack of regulation and oversight should make you more vigilant about the foods you consume, especially those containing food dyes.
Given the concerns and controversy, avoid foods or reduce exposure to packaged foods containing artificial colors. If food must be colored at all, it can be replaced with safer substances.
Look for Natural Food Colors Made from Plants
- Natural food dyes made from plants are already widely used by industry in the EU. For instance, Kraft and Kellogg sell products in countries where synthetic food dyes are banned by employing natural colorants like paprika extract, annatto, turmeric, and beetroot.
- Natural does not always mean safe or plant-based. For example, carmine, the red coloring made from the cochineal insect, can cause severe allergic reactions.
Food Dye Updates
- In the 1980s, the FDA found that Red 3 is a carcinogen, but industry pressure prevented the agency from banning it.
- In the 1990s, FDA studies found high carcinogen (benzidine) levels in Yellows 5 and 6.
- Recently, in the EU, Yellow Dye 5 (E102) and 6 and Red Dye 40 must carry a warning that the colors “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” No such warning is required in the United States.
- In 2022, several organizations urged the Food and Drug Administration to formally remove Red No. 3 from the list of approved color additives in foods.
- In 2023, California passed legislation to ban the sale of foods in the state containing Red Dye No. 3. AB418, the California Food Safety Act, bans the use of four food additives: Red 3, brominated vegetable oil, propylparaben, and potassium bromate. Food manufacturers have until 2027 to reformulate products that contain these additives.
The fact that artificial dyes do not improve the safety or nutritional quality of foods and their potential toxicity indicates that these dyes shouldn’t be consumed. Many foods that backpackers tend to eat can contain artificial colors and other low-quality substances that add up in the body. Eating excessive amounts of junk food on the trail can weaken your immune system and physical stamina, leaving you feeling miserable in the backcountry. Outdoor Herbivore’s backpacking foods contain NO artificial food dyes, synthetic flavors, sulfates, or other chemical preservatives.
References
Safety of color additives
Toxicology of food dyes
Cancer and toxicity concerns of food dyes