Regular Coca-Cola does not contain Red 40; its brown color comes from caramel coloring, but some flavored Coke products, like certain Cherry Coke versions or those from Freestyle machines, might add Red 40 for a red hue, so it's always best to check the ingredient label for specific items, as dye use varies by product and location.
Here are some examples of drinks that kids drink on regular basis that contain red dye #40: Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, Seven Up, Gatorade, Hawaiian Punch, and Pepsi.
Cola Gets Its Color From Caramel Coloring
The brown, golden syrup color of cola comes from caramel coloring. Because the coloring is an artificial additive, it is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for health and safety reasons.
Which popular foods are at risk?
Kraft Heinz stripped artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its macaroni and cheese in 2016 and said it has never used artificial dyes in its ketchup.
Read Labels Carefully: This is the most straightforward way to avoid Red 40. Check the ingredients list on food products, cosmetics, and medications. Look for names like Allura Red AC, Red 40, or FD&C Red No. 40.
40: • Mountain Dew Code Red • Cherry Coke • Fanta (Strawberry and Orange flavors) • Pepsi Wild Cherry • Dr Pepper Cherry • Crush (Strawberry, Grape) • Skittles • Starburst • Swedish Fish • Sour Patch Kids (Red and colorful varieties) • Twizzlers (Cherry and Strawberry flavors) • Red Hots • Hot Tamales • Jolly Ranchers ...
We posit that the synthetic dye Red 40, acting as a foreign substance, induces a subtle and low-grade inflammatory response specific to the colon and rectum. This chronic inflammation may contribute to the development of CRC, particularly in the distal colon and rectum.
CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, AND LESS THAN 2% OF: GINGER EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, CLARIFIED LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, CITRIC ACID, ACACIA GUM, ESTER GUM, SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVES), RED 40, YELLOW 5.
There's no single "number one" unhealthiest soda, as different ones rank poorly for different reasons (sugar, acidity, dyes), but Mountain Dew, Fanta Grape, and orange sodas often top lists due to high sugar, potent citric acid for enamel erosion, and potentially carcinogenic artificial dyes (like Red 40), making them particularly damaging for teeth and overall health, notes this article from Eat This, Not That! and this article from Fowler Orthodontics. Dark sodas (like Coke/Pepsi) are also very unhealthy due to sugar, caffeine, and caramel coloring, while clear sodas (Sprite/7Up) are generally less harmful but still packed with sugar, says this article from MEL Magazine.
In the early 1900s cocaine in its crude form was removed. Today the extract of the coca leaves, a de-cocainized version, is manufactured in the United States and used in the flavoring for Coca-Cola. The crude cocaine that is left over is used by select pharmaceutical companies for medicines.
Dr Pepper took the first initiative to eliminate Red 40 in their cherry flavor. Both Dr Pepper Cherry & Dr Pepper Cherry Zero is now Red 40 free!
In the United States, it's two synthetic food dyes: Red 40 and Yellow 6. In Eng- land, it's pumpkin and carrot extract. At a U.S. McDonald's, the strawberry sundae gets its color from Red 40.
UK Fanta gets its color from carrots, pumpkins, and orange fruit, while the US version gets it from dyes (red 40 and yellow 6). Also about 3 times as much sugar in the US version versus the UK version, and the US Fanta has high fructose corn syrup while the UK version has sugar.
Brands that use Red Dye 40 include Skittles, Doritos and Twizzlers. All food color additives, including Red Dye 40, require FDA approval. The agency says food dyes are safe when used in accordance with regulations, which stipulate types of foods they can be used in, maximum amounts and labeling requirements.
Our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never had artificial dyes – the red color comes simply from the world's best tomatoes.
Doritos owner PepsiCo just announced it's removing synthetic petroleum-based dyes (namely Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6) from their nacho cheese flavor used in their Doritos recipe.
Is Red 40 banned in Europe? Red 40 is not banned in Europe, but its use is more restricted compared to the United States. European regulations require foods containing Red 40 or other artificial dyes to carry a label warning consumers that the dye may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.
As you're browsing grocery store aisles, you might come across packaged goods from food giants like Kraft, Lipton, and Heinz that all have something in common: a petroleum-based substance known as Red Dye 40. From snacks and soda to toothpaste and mouthwash, Red 40 is the most common artificial food color.
What foods contain red dye 3?
A synthetic food dye is an ingredient with a color and a number like the Red 40 and Yellow 5 you'll find in Froot Loops, Lucky Charms, and many other kids' cereals. Those ingredients are petroleum-based dyes that may cause hyperactivity in some sensitive children.
Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens.
Red dye 40 is a synthetic food dye made from petroleum. Research has shown that it is linked to certain ADHD symptoms, such as hyperactivity, and may also cause other neurobehavioral effects in children. People can check for red dye 40 on food labels if they wish to limit their intake.
Cochineals are tiny bugs that live on prickly pear cactuses. The acid in their guts makes a red dye used in textiles, cosmetics, and foods like M&Ms and Yoplait yogurt. Indigenous people across Latin America traded it for thousands of years.