Which school meals and snacks contain synthetic food dyes?

Synthetic food dyes can cause neurobehavioral problems in some children, yet they’re found in many meals, snacks, and beverages served in schools. Learn more about which school foods contain synthetic dyes and what's being done to remove these additives from school menus.

Children are at risk for adverse reactions to synthetic dyes

Evidence that synthetic food dyes can cause neurobehavioral problems in some children, including hyperactivity and inattention, has been accumulating for decades. In 2021, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) completed a comprehensive, rigorous review of the evidence, including 27 human clinical trials, and concluded that the seven most widely used synthetic food dyes—Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6—can cause or exacerbate neurobehavioral problems in some children. OEHHA pointed out that these types of neurobehavioral problems can make it harder for affected kids to succeed in school and socially. 

OEHHA also raised concerns about how these unnecessary color additives were approved by the FDA in the first place. OEHHA determined that the safe intake levels set by the FDA for synthetic food dyes may not sufficiently protect children because the animal studies the FDA used to set these levels were not designed for—or even capable of—detecting neurobehavioral impacts. 

OEHHA’s decisive report was published in 2021, and said, “At a minimum, in the short-term, the neurobehavioral effects of synthetic food dyes in children should be acknowledged and steps taken to reduce exposure to these dyes in children.” Despite this clear call to action for federal policymakers, the FDA has never even responded to it publicly, let alone taken action to protect children. 

Learn more: Synthetic dyes: A rainbow of risks 

In the absence of federal action, states are stepping in to restrict synthetic dyes in schools 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has long advocated for the removal of synthetic food dyes from all school foods—including reimbursable meals, competitive foods and beverages, and milk. Despite years of urging the FDA to take action, the agency has failed to protect consumers from synthetic dyes. In the absence of federal efforts, several states have enacted or proposed bills restricting the use of synthetic dyes in public schools. 

In September 2024, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 2316, the California School Food Safety Act, a first-in-the-nation law that bans synthetic food dyes in foods served or sold in public schools across the state. This legislation follows up on the groundbreaking California Food Safety Act (AB 418), signed into law in 2023, that banned four harmful additives—including the dye Red 3—from foods statewide starting in 2027. Following California’s lead, with CSPI’s support, Virginia enacted HB 1910/SB 1289 in March 2025, prohibiting public schools from serving or selling foods with synthetic dyes. Utah has also enacted similar legislation. 

New York State lawmakers have introduced the New York Food Safety and Chemical Transparency Act, which would ban three unsafe additives from all foods sold in the state and prevent state public schools from serving or selling foods that contain synthetic food dyes. The bill also aims to close a dangerous loophole (the “generally recognized as safe” or “GRAS” loophole) that allows companies to sneak new chemicals into the food supply without oversight. 

New York City has already prohibited synthetic dyes from school foods for decades, and it’s time that New York State did the same. Food manufacturers can, and have, reformulated products to remove synthetic dyes in areas with restrictions, and dye alternatives like fruit juice are readily available. Children deserve safer school foods without synthetic dyes. 

Several other states are considering legislation banning synthetic dyes in schools or from all foods sold in the state, including Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

School foods with synthetic dyes

The list below contains some products developed for schools that contain synthetic dyes, as well as alternatives that are synthetic dye-free, demonstrating that food manufacturers are already capable of producing school foods without synthetic dyes. These dyes are unnecessary additives, offering no nutritional value or health benefit and only serving as a money-making tool for the food industry. 

Unfortunately, simply checking the labels on brand-name packaged food served to your children at school might not be enough to avoid synthetic dyes. Less obvious meal components, like condiments, toppings, and spreads often contain these dyes. The fact that ingredients—not just packaged products—used in school foods can contain synthetic dyes suggests that only through policy changes can we truly protect children from these risky additives in schools.

Cereals

Even if a brand-name cereal product is compliant with the federal Smart Snacks standards, that does not mean that the product is synthetic dye-free, as those standards do not address synthetic dyes or other food additives. For instance, a 1 oz Lucky Charms Cereal Single Serve Bowlpak contains Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1, as does Fruity Pebbles Cereal. By contrast, a 1 oz Trix Cereal 25% Less Sugar Single Serve Bowlpak does not contain any synthetic food dyes; instead it gets color from ingredients like fruit juice and turmeric extract. Alternatives like these demonstrate that synthetic color additives can be easily eliminated from cereals served in schools.

Beverages 

Another area where banning synthetic dyes in school foods would have an impact is in beverages. Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red Flavored Juice Drink contains Red 40 and Blue 1, even though it is Smart Snacks compliant and sold in schools. Likewise, Fanta Zero Sugar Orange is served in high schools yet contains Red 40 and Yellow 6. However, beverage alternatives that are free of synthetic dyes and served or sold in schools exist—like AHA Blueberry + Pomegranate sparkling water, a beverage with no added colorants.

Pastries

Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts Made With Whole Grain Frosted Blueberry are specially formulated for schools and contain Red 40, Blue 1, and Blue 2. Yet there are alternative pastry products sold or served in schools that are synthetic dye-free, such as Pillsbury Frudel Apple. 

How you can help 

CSPI is working to remove synthetic dyes from school foods. New York State lawmakers have proposed legislation that would, among other measures, ban the use of synthetic dyes in public schools. Additionally, we are working to close the “secret GRAS” loophole that lets industry—not the FDA—decide which chemicals are safe for us to eat.

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