Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) β€” Banned in Europe, Legal in US Food

Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) is banned or restricted in Austria, Norway (requires warning labels in EU) but remains legal in US food products. We found 27 products in our database that contain it.

27
Products Contain This
2
Countries Ban/Restrict
5
Known Health Risks
5
Safer Alternatives

What is Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)?

Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) is a synthetic lemon-yellow dye derived from petroleum. It is the second most commonly used food dye in the US. The EU requires warning labels on products containing Yellow 5.

Also Known As

TartrazineFD&C Yellow No. 5E102CI 19140Yellow 5 Lake

Look for any of these names on ingredient labels β€” they all refer to Yellow 5 (Tartrazine).

🚫 Banned/Restricted In

⚠️ US Status

Legal β€” FDA approved. Required to be listed on labels but no health warnings required.

Health Risks of Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)

⚠️Hyperactivity in children
⚠️Allergic reactions (especially in aspirin-sensitive individuals)
⚠️Hives and asthma
⚠️Behavioral issues
⚠️Potential genotoxicity

US Products Containing Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)

These 25 products from our database contain Yellow 5 in their ingredient list:

#ProductBrandScore
1Trail Mix Snack PacksKirkland,Kirkland Signature,M&M's0/100
2Trail MixKirkland0/100
3Trail MixKirkland1/100
4ORIGINAL GRAPE, GREEN APPLE, LEMON, STRAWBERRY, ORANGE BITE SIZE CANDIES, ORIGINALMars Chocolate North America LLC1/100
5Skittles LittlesSkittles9/100
6Skittles Pop'dSkittles12/100
7EquateUnknown16/100
8Trail MixKirkland18/100
9PEANUT CHOCOLATE CANDIES, PEANUTMars Chocolate North America LLC20/100
10ASSORTED CARAMELS SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE CANDY, ASSORTED CARAMELSRussell Stover Candies Inc.20/100
11ORIGINAL GRAPE, LEMON, LIME, STRAWBERRY, ORANGE JELLY BEANS, ORIGINALMars, Inc.25/100
12ORIGINAL BITE SIZE CANDIES, ORIGINALMars, Inc.30/100
13Skittles Original CandySkittles30/100
14Great Value Nacho Cheese Tortilla ChipsWalmart35/100
15great value cheddar and sour cream ripple chipsUnknown35/100
16MARSHMALLOW FLAVORED CEREAL WITH MARSHMALLOWS, MARSHMALLOWThe Kellogg Company 56/100
17MARKET PANTRY, BANANA PEPPER RINGS, MILDTarget Stores68/100
18MARKET PANTRY, CRISP WHOLE OKRA, MILDTarget Stores68/100
19MARKET PANTRY, SUGAR FREE DRINK MIX, STRAWBERRY LEMONADE, STRAWBERRY LEMONADETarget Stores68/100
20TARGET STORE SUGAR COOKIE KIT, TARGET STORETarget Stores68/100
21MARKET PANTRY, SWIFT MAC MACARONI & CHEESE CUPTarget Stores68/100
22ARCHER FARMS, GUPID'S CRUNCH TRAIL MIXTarget Stores68/100
23HOLIDAY FAVORITES JELLY BEANS, EGG NOG; CANDY CANE; PUMPKIN PIE; CRANBERRY SAUCE; HOT CHOCOLATEJelly Belly Candy Company68/100
24HOLIDAY FAVORITES JELLY BEANS, CRANBERRY SAUCE, CANDY CANE, PUMPKIN PIE, EGG NOG, HOT CHOCOLATEJelly Belly Candy Company68/100
25CANDY FAVORITES HOLIDAY ROYAL MIXBig Y Foods, Inc.68/100

Showing 25 of 27 products. Download CheckIt AI to scan any product for Yellow 5.

Safer Alternatives to Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)

βœ“ Turmeric extract (curcumin)βœ“ Saffronβœ“ Annattoβœ“ Beta-carotene (from carrots)βœ“ Marigold extract

How to Avoid Yellow 5

  1. Download CheckIt AI β€” scan any product with your phone camera, no barcode needed.
  2. Check the ingredients β€” look for any of its 5 alternate names: Tartrazine, FD&C Yellow No. 5, E102.
  3. Choose alternatives β€” opt for products using Turmeric extract (curcumin) or Saffron instead.
  4. Buy European brands β€” products made for the EU market won't contain Yellow 5.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yellow 5 banned in Europe?
Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) requires a mandatory warning label in the EU about effects on children's attention and activity. Austria and Norway have additional restrictions. No such warnings exist in the US.
What products contain Yellow 5?
Yellow 5 is commonly found in mac and cheese, Mountain Dew, Doritos, Cheetos, candy, pickles, mustard, and many processed snacks. Scan any product with CheckIt AI to check.
Can Yellow 5 cause allergic reactions?
Yes. Yellow 5 is known to cause allergic reactions including hives, asthma symptoms, and rhinitis, particularly in people sensitive to aspirin. The FDA acknowledges this risk but doesn't require warning labels.

πŸ“Š Data Sources: Product data from our database of 26,000+ scanned products. Regulatory data from FDA, EFSA, Health Canada, FSANZ, and published research. Last updated: 2026-03-05.

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πŸ“‹ Cite This Data
APACheckIt AI. (2026). "Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): Banned in Europe But Legal in US Food (27 Products) | CheckIt AI". Climaverse PBC. Retrieved from https://getcheck.it/banned-in-europe/yellow-5
MLA"Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): Banned in Europe But Legal in US Food (27 Products) | CheckIt AI." CheckIt AI, Climaverse PBC, 2026-03-05. https://getcheck.it/banned-in-europe/yellow-5.
HTML Embed<a href="https://getcheck.it/banned-in-europe/yellow-5">Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): Banned in Europe But Legal in US Food (27 Products) | CheckIt AI β€” CheckIt AI</a>
BibTeX@misc{checkit2026bannedineuropeyellow5, title = {Yellow 5 (Tartrazine): Banned in Europe But Legal in US Food (27 Products) | CheckIt AI}, author = {CheckIt AI}, year = {2026}, publisher = {Climaverse PBC}, url = {https://getcheck.it/banned-in-europe/yellow-5}, note = {Retrieved 2026-03-05} }