Latest FDA-Approved Food Colors List & Its Applications

In the constantly evolving food industry, product appearance and appeal are very important for attracting customers, creating brand identity, and boosting product sales. In this, color plays a vital role which provides an attractive look to the product and establishes brand identity. However, manufacturers often face some challenges in selecting the right colour for their products like the quality of colors, stability of colors, shelf life, and most importantly regulatory standards. Governmental regulatory bodies like the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the United States of America play a very important role in ensuring the safety and quality of food colours. If a colorant is approved for use in food, cosmetics, or any drug product by the FDA, most countries in the world accept colourant safety. In this blog, we will talk about the FDA, colours that the FDA approves for use in food products, applications on which they are used, the benefits of using FDA-approved colors for manufacturers, and more.

FDA is a respected body of the United States of America that regularly checks the quality and safety of colours in products all food products. The FDA sets the regulatory standards on colors and all the manufacturers have to follow them. The FDA regulates both colorants, natural that are derived from animals, vegetables, or minerals, and synthetic food colors which are also known as certified colors, derived from coal tar or petroleum. These synthetic food colors are more famous and used by manufacturers globally because they provide some more advantages compared to natural ones. Synthetic food colors provide a more vibrant and appealing look to the products and do not fade or change the colours on the products for a long time which increases the self life of the products. These synthetic food colors are more affordable compared to their other alternatives which also makes them favorable for manufacturers. As of now, the FDA approves 9 synthetic food colors to use in the products, the FDA also often changes the number of approved food colorants from time to time here is an overview of the colorants.

Manufacturers use colors in their products to add more fun and attractiveness, which helps boost the products’ sales. The FDA regulates and approves the colors for use, and also regulates that on which products manufacturers should use which colors. Here is the list of FDA-approved colors and products on which the FDA allows the use of the colorant.

FD&C Blue No. 1: FD&C Blue No. 1 chemically known as Brilliant Blue FCF is approved by the FDA to be used in beverages (soft drinks, sports drinks, alcoholic beverages), candies, baked goods, confections, dairy products (ice cream, yogurt) Breakfast cereals, Processed foods (snack foods, gelatins, desserts).

FD&C Blue No. 2: FD&C Blue No. 2 chemically known Indigotine is approved by the FDA to be used in Baked goods (cakes, cookies, and pastries), beverages,  candy (hard candies, gummy candies, and chewing gum), dairy products, processed foods (snacks, cereals, and gelatin desserts).

FD&C Green No. 3: FD&C Green No. 3 chemically known Fast Green FCF is approved by the FDA to be used in Beverages and beverage bases, confections and candy, bakery products, gelatins, puddings, and fillings, dairy products, analogs, seasonings, and condiments, meat, fish, and poultry, snack foods, pet foods.

FD&C Red No. 3: FD&C Red No. 3 chemically known as Erythrosine is approved by the FDA to be used in candy and confections, cake decorations, baked goods (cookies, cakes, and pastries), snacks, desserts, certain beverages, and maraschino cherries.

FD&C Red No. 40: FD&C Red No. 40 chemically known as Allura Red AC is approved by the FDA to be used in baked goods, confectionery and candies, beverages, dairy products, snack foods, breakfast cereals, and packaged mixes.

FD&C Yellow No. 5: FD&C Yellow No. 5 chemically known as Tartrazine is approved by the FDA to be used in beverages, baked goods, candies, dairy products (ice cream, yogurt, and puddings), snack foods, breakfast cereals, condiments, prepared meals, seasonings and spices, confections and frostings.

FD&C Yellow No. 6: FD&C Yellow No. 6 chemically known as Sunset Yellow FCF is approved by the FDA to be used in baked goods, beverages, confectionery, dairy products, snack foods, processed foods, desserts, breakfast cereals, seasonings, and condiments (mustards, salad dressings, and marinades), and meat products.

Citrus Red No. 2: Citrus Red No. 2 is approved by the FDA to be used in only approved for use in only approved for use to color orange peels.

Orange B: Orange B is approved by the FDA to be used only approved for use in hot dog and sausage casings.

Manufacturers who use FDA-approved colourants in their products have some benefits compared to manufacturers who use non-FDA-approved colorants in their products. The FDA is a well-known body in the United States of America, and people trust the FDA for the safety and quality of colors. The checking process of colors in the FDA is considered hard for a pass for any colour, and Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, all color additives and new uses for listed color additives must be approved by the FDA. Manufacturers can win the trust of the people by using FDA-approved colors in their products which can help them boost sales and brand recognition. Colorants that are approved by the FDA are accepted as safe for many countries worldwide which makes it suitable for manufacturers who want to export their products in the international market.

The FDA which is a governmental body of the United States of America checks and passes the colorants to use in food, cosmetics, and drug products. It adds and removes the colorants from their list according to the color's safety and requirements. The FDA also regulates that manufacturers can use which color in the product. By using FDA-approved colorants in products manufacturers have some other benefits as well such as winning customer trust, differentiating their products from the competitive market, and exporting their products to the international market. If you are a manufacturer and looking for high-quality synthetic food colors that are approved by the FDA for your products, then Ajanta Food Colours is the best option for you. Ajanta Food Colours is a leading company in the colorant manufacturing industry with over 75+ years of experience. The company exports its FDA-approved colorants globally and fulfills all the colorants-related demands of its clients.

Ajanta Food Colours offers a wide range of FDA-approved colorants for many applications such as food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, personal and home care products confectioneries, and more. Ajanta Food Colours received many awards and certificates from the Indian governmental bodies as well as from the countries where Ajanta exports its colorants. Some of the awards and certificates received by Ajnata Food Colours include The Arch of Europe Award, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Award, certifications from The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), as well as Halal, Alcumus ISOQAR, Star-K Kosher, Food Safety System 22000 (FSSC 22000), and ISOQAR certifications, among others.

To know more about Ajanta Food Colours and its FDA-approved colorants, or for any other information please contact us.