Red 40 / Allura Red AC
The question

Is Red 40 / Allura Red AC safe in baked goods?

CautionBaked goods

A synthetic azo dye (the most widely used food dye in the US) derived from petroleum. FDA-approved but banned in several European countries. Contains p-Cresidine, listed as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen by the US HHS. Studies link it to hyperactivity in children, and the EU mandates a warning label.

What the research flags

  • Contains p-Cresidine — a reasonably anticipated human carcinogen (HHS NTP)
  • Linked to hyperactivity and ADHD-like behavior in children
  • EU requires warning label: "May have adverse effect on activity and attention in children"
  • Banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, and Switzerland

Regulatory
EU requires behavioral warning label on food products containing this dye

Other baked goods ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    RegulatoryUS federal agency — color-additives-history
  2. [2]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 17825405
  3. [3]
    Newscspi.org

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific baked goods product. This is not medical advice.