Our job is simple: read the current label carefully, tell you what it says about artificial dyes, and show you exactly when and where we checked. Brands can’t buy a rating.
What we mean by “dye”
On Dye-Free, an “artificial dye” means a certified color additive: the synthetic colors the FDA batch-certifies, such as FD&C Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, and Red No. 3, plus their “Lake” forms. In medicines we also flag D&C colors (for example D&C Red No. 33 or D&C Yellow No. 10), which are certified synthetic colors approved for drugs.
Colors from natural sources (for example beet juice, annatto, turmeric, or spirulina extract) are also regulated color additives, but they are “exempt from certification.” We note them when they appear, but they don’t by themselves earn a “Contains dyes” label. See the FDA’s explanation of certified vs. exempt colors.
Our labels
- Dye-free: the current label we checked lists no certified color additives.
- Contains dyes: the current label lists one or more certified color additives. We name each one.
- Check label: we couldn’t confirm. For example, the ingredient list wasn’t available, it used vague wording, different flavors or sizes have different ingredients, or sources disagreed.
These labels describe what an ingredient list says. They are not a safety rating, a health claim, or a recommendation to use or avoid any product.
How every check works
- Current label first. We use the ingredient list, Drug Facts “Inactive ingredients,” or Supplement Facts “Other ingredients” for the product as currently sold.
- Dated. Each check shows the date we looked (“Label checked: Month Day, Year”).
- Source noted. Each check names where the information came from, such as a photo of the package, the manufacturer’s product page, or a public database like the NIH DailyMed (drug labels), the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, or USDA FoodData Central.
- Exact product. We record the flavor, form (liquid, chewable, gummy), and size, because these often have different ingredients.
- When sources disagree, we go with the most recent physical label we can verify, or we mark it “Check label.”
Formulas change
Manufacturers reformulate products all the time, and many have announced plans to move away from synthetic dyes (the FDA keeps a public tracker of industry pledges). Old and new versions can sit on the same shelf for months. That’s why we date every check, and why the label in your hand always wins. If it differs from what we show, trust the package and let us know.
Report an error
If you see a label that doesn’t match our page, please send us a correction. A clear photo of the ingredient panel and the lot number or “best by” date helps a lot. Brands are welcome to submit corrections too, with documentation. We review every report, re-check the product, and add a note on the page when something changes.
Affiliate and sponsor independence
- Some links on Dye-Free are affiliate links (for example Amazon, Thrive Market, or Instacart). We may earn a commission if you buy. Affiliate links are labeled.
- Commissions, sponsorships, and advertising never change a label result. A product with dyes is labeled “Contains dyes” whether or not we earn anything from it.
- Sponsored content, if we ever publish it, will be clearly marked “Sponsored” and kept separate from our label checks.
- Brands can’t pay for a review, a faster check, or removal of a result.
More detail: affiliate disclosure.
What we won’t do
- Make medical claims, or claim that a dye causes any condition.
- Guess. If we can’t verify an ingredient list, we say so.
- Publish a result without a date and a source.