The science skinny on synthetic food dyes: There is no evidence they are unsafe but they do make some unhealthy food more enticing

The appeal of a brightly colored candy, the vibrant hue of your mouthwash, the pigment of your sports drinks — they’re all thanks to food dyes. These colorful additives don’t add any nutritional value to the foods, medications and drinks they’re in, but they’ve long served to make them look more appealing.

Under previous administrations, food dyes were considered safe to consume “when used properly,” Dr. Linda Katz, former director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors, said in 2023.

But more recently, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that the government intends to phase food dyes out of the food supply by the end of 2026.

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There is no other research in humans suggesting food dyes lead to health harm, Lindsey Taillie, Ph.D., nutrition epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health …. However, some experts believe food dyes can make ultraprocessed foods more appealing, and diets high in ultraprocessed foods have been linked to health issues.

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