Artificial Food Dyes Are Fading

Some of the country's best-known candies are getting new versions without artificial food dyes as manufacturers move toward colors made from natural sources.

Mars, the company behind M&M's, Skittles and Starburst, began selling versions of the three candies Thursday without synthetic dyes. The company is using naturally derived ingredients to recreate the familiar colors.

The change comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration works with manufacturers to phase out six synthetic colors by the end of 2027: Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2. Red No. 3 was previously removed from approved food uses.

Candy may be the most obvious place parents expect to find artificial colors, but dyes can appear in many other foods. Depending on the brand, they can be found in cereals, yogurt, drinks, frozen desserts, applesauce, pickles, salad dressings, salsa and other products.

That makes reading ingredient labels important for families trying to avoid them. Common names include Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3.

The health debate surrounding food dyes is not simple. The FDA says most children do not experience adverse effects from approved color additives, although some children may be sensitive to them. The American Academy of Pediatrics has also pointed to research examining possible effects on children's behavior.

Removing artificial dyes also does not necessarily make a food healthy. Candy, sugary cereal and sweetened drinks can still contain large amounts of sugar regardless of how they are colored.

The shift is spreading beyond candy. WK Kellogg Co. has announced plans to eliminate artificial colors from its cereals by the end of 2026.

As more manufacturers make changes, artificial dyes could become less common. Until then, parents may find some of the most unexpected sources in foods that do not look especially colorful.