Color Additive

Color Additive: 3.9/5 average safety

According to the FDA SAFFA-derived category taxonomy PlainIngredients uses, Color Additive ranks #6 of 24 by ingredient count (99 additives), with an average composite safety score of 3.9 out of 5 across the category. 1 is classified as banned by the FDA.

  • #6 of 24 by ingredient count
  • Category average safety: 3.9/5
  • 1 banned ingredient in this category

99 ingredients in this category.

Where Color Additive sits by ingredient count

Color Additive holds 99 additives among 24 SAFFA-derived categories (inventory size, not a safety ranking).

Color Additive vs all categories by ingredient count

Where this category's ingredient COUNT sits among every non-empty PlainIngredients category

99 6th of 24 higher than 18 of 24 categories

Categories, banded by ingredient count

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more categories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) Inventory · 2026-09-05

4
Algal Carotenes
Low Risk · Approved
4
Amaranth
Low Risk · Approved
3
Ammonia Caramel
Mixed · Approved
4
Ammonium Sulfite
Low Risk · Approved
4
Annatto
Low Risk · Approved
4
Annatto (Bixin)
Low Risk · Approved
4
Annatto Norbixin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Anthocyanins
Low Risk · Approved
4
Azorubine
Low Risk · Approved
5
Beet Juice (Betanin)
Safe · Approved
4
Beetroot Red
Low Risk · Approved
4
Benzoyl Peroxide
Low Risk · Approved
4
Beta-apo-8'-carotenal
Low Risk · Approved
4
Beta-Apo-8′-Carotenal (C30)
Low Risk · Approved
5
Beta-Carotene
Safe · GRAS
4
Beta-Carotene From Blakeslea Trispora
Low Risk · Approved
4
Black Iron Oxide
Low Risk · Approved
2
Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue)
Caution · Approved
2
Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine)
Caution · Approved
4
Brilliant Black Bn
Low Risk · Approved
3
Brilliant Blue FCF
Mixed · Approved
2
Brown Ht
Caution · Approved
4
Calcium Carbonate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Canthaxanthin
Low Risk · Approved
3
Caramel Color
Mixed · Approved
4
Carmine (Cochineal)
Low Risk · Approved
4
Carotene
Low Risk · Approved
4
Caustic Sulphite Caramel
Low Risk · Approved
5
Chlorophyll
Safe · Approved
4
Chlorophyllins
Low Risk · Approved
4
Chlorophylls
Low Risk · Approved
4
Chlorophylls And Chlorophyllins
Low Risk · Approved
4
Citrus Red No. 2
Low Risk · Approved
4
Cochineal
Low Risk · Approved
4
Copper Complexes Of Chlorophyllins
Low Risk · Approved
4
Copper Complexes Of Chlorophylls
Low Risk · Approved
4
Copper Complexes Of Chlorophylls And Chlorophyllins
Low Risk · Approved
4
Curcumin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Cyanidin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Delphinidin
Low Risk · Approved
4
E101a Food Additive
Low Risk · Approved
4
Erythrosine
Low Risk · Approved
4
Ethyl Ester Of Beta-Apo-8'-Carotenic Acid (C 30)
Low Risk · Approved
4
Fast Green FCF
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Blue No. 1, Aluminum Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Blue No. 1, Calcium Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Blue No. 2, Aluminum Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Blue No. 2, Calcium Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Green No. 3, Aluminum Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Green No. 3, Calcium Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Red No. 40, Aluminum Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Red No. 40, Calcium Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Yellow No. 5, Aluminum Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Yellow No. 5, Calcium Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
FD&C Yellow No. 6, Calcium Lake
Low Risk · Approved
4
Grape
Low Risk · Approved
2
Green 3 (Fast Green)
Caution · Approved
4
Haematococcus Algae Meal
Low Risk · Approved
4
Indigotine
Low Risk · Approved
4
Iron Oxide
Low Risk · Approved
4
Iron Oxides And Iron Hydroxides
Low Risk · Approved
4
Lutein
Low Risk · Approved
5
Lycopene
Safe · GRAS
4
Malvidin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Mica
Low Risk · Approved
4
Orange B
Low Risk · Approved
5
Paprika Extract
Safe · Approved
4
Pelargonidin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Peonidin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Petunidin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Phaffia Yeast
Low Risk · Approved
4
Plain Caramel
Low Risk · Approved
4
Plant Carotenes
Low Risk · Approved
4
Ponceau 4r
Low Risk · Approved
4
Potassium Metabisulfite Antimicrobial Agent, Antioxidant
Low Risk · Approved
4
Quinoline Yellow
Low Risk · Approved
4
Red 2G
Low Risk · Approved
1
Red 3 (Erythrosine)
Banned · Banned
2
Red 40 (Allura Red)
Caution · Approved
4
Red Iron Oxide
Low Risk · Approved
4
Riboflavin
Low Risk · Approved
5
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Safe · GRAS
4
Riboflavin-5′-Phosphate
Low Risk · Approved
4
Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Sodium Sulfite Antioxidant
Low Risk · Approved
4
soy leghemoglobin
Low Risk · Approved
5
Spirulina Extract
Safe · Approved
4
Sulphite Ammonia Caramel
Low Risk · Approved
4
Sunset Yellow FCF
Low Risk · Approved
4
Tagetes Meal & Extract
Low Risk · Approved
4
Tannin
Low Risk · Approved
4
Tartrazine
Low Risk · Approved
5
Turmeric (Curcumin)
Safe · GRAS
4
Ultramarine Blue
Low Risk · Approved
4
Vegetable Juice
Low Risk · Approved
2
Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)
Caution · Approved
2
Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow)
Caution · Approved
4
Yellow Iron Oxide
Low Risk · Approved
4
Zeaxanthin
Low Risk · Approved

Source: FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) Inventory, EU Food Additive Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008

Compare beyond this category

Nationwide categories with similar additive profiles

Two PlainIngredients-derived peer sets for Color Additive: closest on tracked ingredient count (99 here) and closest on mean composite safety score (3.9/5 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-category strip.

Similar ingredient count

Nearest other SAFFA categories by mapped additive count (floored at ≥10).

8 peers

Similar mean additive safety

Nearest other categories by average mapped safety score (floored at ≥10 scored additives), distinct from the count row.

4 peers

Other Categories

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