Yellow #5 & #6 And Red #40

Yellow #5 (tartrazine), Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow FCF), and Red #40 (Allura Red AC) are synthetic food colors. They are chemically manufactured from petroleum-based raw materials.

These artificial colors are added to a wide range of processed foods and beverages to enhance their visual appeal. They are commonly found in candies, soft drinks, snack foods, desserts, and some dairy products.

Yellow #5, Yellow #6, and Red #40 are approved by the FDA as color additives for use in food. In April 2025, the FDA announced a plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, including these three. JECFA has evaluated these colors and set acceptable daily intakes. EFSA has also evaluated them. Some studies have suggested a link between artificial food colors and hyperactivity in some children, but the evidence is mixed and not conclusive for the general population. The FDA states that the available scientific evidence does not show a causal link between these colors and hyperactivity in the general population.