Artificial Lake Colors

Artificial lake colors are pigments made by combining a water-soluble synthetic dye with an insoluble metallic salt, most commonly aluminum hydroxide. This process creates a color that is insoluble in water, making it suitable for coloring products that contain fats or oils.

Manufacturers add artificial lake colors to provide vibrant and stable coloring to foods, especially those with low moisture or high fat content, where water-soluble dyes might bleed. They are commonly found in confections, coatings, baked goods, snacks, and dairy products.

In the United States, artificial lake colors are regulated by the FDA as color additives, and they are derived from FDA-approved synthetic dyes. Some synthetic dyes, including those used to make lake colors, have been associated with hyperactivity in some children, though scientific evidence on this link remains mixed. The FDA announced in April 2025 a plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, which include the primary dyes used to make artificial lake colors. JECFA and EFSA have evaluated many of the individual synthetic dyes used to create lake colors.