Annatto
A natural orange-yellow food dye extracted from the seeds of the achiote tree, used to colour dairy and snack foods.
colourAvoid if sensitive
Colours
Food & Cosmetic Colours: Dyes, Lakes and Pigments
Colours are substances added to food and cosmetics purely to adjust or restore their appearance — they contribute no flavour, nutrition or function beyond visual appeal. They range from plant-derived pigments like annatto to petroleum-based synthetic dyes like Red 40, and each one must be approved and listed by name or number on the label before a manufacturer can use it. Regulators in the US, EU and elsewhere maintain separate approved lists and set maximum permitted levels, so the specific colours allowed in a product can vary depending on where it is sold.
How to spot them on a label
On a US food label, certified synthetic dyes must appear by their full common name — for example, 'Red 40' or 'Yellow 5' — while colours derived from natural sources may be listed by their common name or declared simply as 'artificial colour' or 'colour added.' In cosmetics, the same dyes often appear under their Colour Index names, such as 'CI 19140' for tartrazine. Scanning a barcode with InZoRAH can surface what ingredients in a specific product belong to this category before you read the physical label.
Every entry in this group (8)
Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF)
A synthetic blue dye derived from petroleum, used to give foods and drinks a vivid blue or blue-green colour.
colourDepends on context
Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF)
A synthetic blue dye made from petroleum-derived compounds, approved to colour food and drinks in the US.
colourLow concern
Caramel Color
A brown food dye made by heat-treating sugars, used to give drinks and sauces their characteristic dark colour.
colourDepends on context
Carmine (Cochineal Extract)
A vivid red pigment extracted from dried cochineal insects, used to colour foods and cosmetics.
colourAvoid if sensitive
Red 40 (Allura Red)
Red 40 is a synthetic petroleum-derived dye that gives foods and drinks a bright red or orange-red colour.
colourAvoid if sensitive
Titanium Dioxide
A white mineral pigment that makes foods, cosmetics, and sunscreens bright white or opaque.
colourDepends on context
Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)
Yellow 5 is a synthetic azo dye that gives foods and drinks a bright lemon-yellow colour.
colourAvoid if sensitive
Questions people also ask
What is the difference between a dye, a lake and a pigment?
A dye dissolves in water and is typically used in beverages, icings and liquid products. A lake is the same colouring compound bound to an insoluble base, making it stable in fats and dry mixes. A pigment, such as titanium dioxide, is a naturally insoluble mineral or organic compound used to provide opacity or bright white tones.
Are natural colours automatically safer than synthetic ones?
Not necessarily. Natural origin does not guarantee lower risk for every person — carmine, for instance, has been linked to allergic reactions in some individuals, and annatto has a history of sensitivity reports. Regulatory approval requires safety evidence regardless of whether a colour is plant-derived, insect-derived or synthetically manufactured.
Why do some colours appear on labels by number and others by name?
In the US, colours that require FDA certification — mainly synthetic dyes — must be declared by their standardised common name, such as 'Blue 1' or 'Yellow 5.' Colours that are exempt from batch certification, which are mostly natural or nature-identical substances, may instead be listed by a descriptive common name like 'annatto extract' or 'caramel color.'
Do the same food colours appear in cosmetics?
Many overlap, but the approved lists are separate. A dye cleared for food use is not automatically permitted in cosmetics, and vice versa. Cosmetic colour regulations also distinguish between products used near the eyes and those applied elsewhere on the body, with stricter limits applying to eye-area products.
Other ingredient groups
Educational information, not medical advice. Always read the physical label if you have an allergy.
Check a whole label at once
InZoRAH scans the ingredient list and flags only what matters for you, with sources — then finds a cleaner product on the same shelf.
Join the waitlist