Ingredient Index · E110
Is Yellow 6 banned in Europe?
No. Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow, E110) is legal in the EU; like the other Southampton dyes it must carry a children's-activity warning, which is why European versions of orange snacks use paprika instead.
What the EU does
Sunset Yellow FCF is authorized in the EU under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 with maximum use levels per category, and it sits on the Southampton list, so foods containing E110 must warn that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." EFSA re-evaluated the dye and ultimately revised its acceptable daily intake upward in 2014 after better data arrived, a detail the "banned in Europe" lists never mention.
As with Red 40 and Yellow 5, the warning label functioned as a soft ban: most EU manufacturers reformulated with paprika extract, beta-carotene, or other natural orange colors rather than carry it.
Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annexes II and V (E110 warning requirement)
What the US does
Legal under 21 CFR 74.706 with no warning requirement. Yellow 6 is the second-most-used certified dye in the US after Red 40, which is why the orange of American snack food is so reliably uniform.
It is included in the FDA's 2025 voluntary synthetic-dye phase-out request and in several state school-food laws, but remains federally authorized.
Citation 21 CFR 74.706 (FD&C Yellow No. 6)
Products that commonly contain it
Yellow 6 is the orange in American orange. It commonly appears in:
- Reese's Pieces
- Doritos, Cheetos, and Flamin' Hot varieties
- Orange Gatorade and orange sodas
- Boxed mac and cheese (some brands)
- Candy corn and Halloween candy
- Cheese-flavored crackers
What to look for on a label
Names to scan for:
- "Yellow 6" or "FD&C Yellow No. 6" on US labels
- "Sunset Yellow" or "Sunset Yellow FCF", the chemical name, common on imports
- "E110" on EU-labeled products, with the children's-activity warning
- Often appears alongside Red 40 and Yellow 5 in the same product
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Frequently asked questions
Is Yellow 6 banned in Europe?
No. Sunset Yellow (E110) is authorized under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 with maximum use levels. Foods containing it must carry the EU's children's-activity warning, which led most brands to reformulate.
Is Yellow 6 banned in the United States?
No. It is permitted under 21 CFR 74.706 with no warning label and is the second-most-used certified food dye in the US.
Why are Cheetos a different color in Europe?
EU versions of orange snacks typically use paprika extract or other natural colors so the package can skip the hyperactivity warning that synthetic dyes like Yellow 6 trigger.
Did EFSA find Yellow 6 dangerous?
No. EFSA re-evaluated Sunset Yellow and in 2014 actually raised its acceptable daily intake after reviewing new data. The warning label reflects the Southampton mixture study, not a finding that the dye is proven harmful.
Related ingredients
Related reading
Primary sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (EUR-Lex)
- 21 CFR 74.706, FD&C Yellow No. 6 (eCFR)
- EFSA: Food colours (topic overview and re-evaluations)
Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses