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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
40?FD&C Red No. 40, or Red 40 for short, is the FDA’s name to refer to a color additive first registered with the agency in the 1970s. The chemical is known as Allura Red AC in the food industry and E 129 in Europe.It is now mostly synthesized from petroleum. Further chemical reactions to combine the dye with aluminum create what’s known as “Red 40 Lake.” Lakes are often used for products like chewing gum where there is not enough moisture to dissolve the dye into the product, or in products like frostings to help prevent the colors from bleeding.The FDA says it subjects production of Red 40 and some other synthetic dyes to stepped-up scrutiny, screening each batch for any contaminants from its production process.Among the dyes that undergo this purity certification, Red 40 consistently ranks as the one with the highest quantity produced each quarter.“People think that ‘I know which foods have dyes and which don’t,’ but no you do not. White foods can contain dyes, foods marketed as healthy and natural can contain dyes, egg noodles can contain dyes, it’s just very hard to know and avoid them, unless you look at the label,” said environmental health consultant Lisa Lefferts.Lefferts was closely involved with a push by the Center for Science in the Public Interest for the FDA to curb use of synthetic food dyes, as well as a new law in California that will ban Red 40 and some other dyes from school meals starting in
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