Key Update

Bright colours are deeply woven into India’s food culture—from sweets and bakery items to beverages and street foods. However, many of these colours come from artificial food dyes, which have long raised food safety and health concerns. While India regulates the use of synthetic colours, enforcement gaps and misuse remain common. With global regulators moving toward natural alternatives, the question is not whether India should phase out artificial dyes, but how easily it can do so without compromising food safety, affordability, or livelihoods. The answer lies in balancing regulation, enforcement, industry readiness, and consumer awareness.

Artificial Food Dyes: India’s Regulatory Position

India allows only eight synthetic food colours, and that too in specified food categories and within strict limits, as laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Despite this, food safety inspections frequently detect non-permitted dyes such as Rhodamine B, Metanil Yellow, and Sudan dyes, especially in sweets, spices, snacks, and festive foods. This indicates that the challenge is not a lack of rules, but poor compliance and uneven enforcement, particularly in the unorganised food sector.

Why Phasing Out Matters for Food Safety

From a food safety perspective, artificial dyes pose risks mainly due to overuse, illegal substitution, and poor-quality sourcing. Some dyes have been linked to allergic reactions, behavioural issues in children, and potential long-term health effects. In India, the greater concern lies with toxic, industrial dyes being used illegally to cut costs or enhance appearance. Reducing dependence on artificial colours can lower adulteration risks, improve consumer trust, and simplify enforcement.

Are Natural Alternatives Easily Available in India?

India has a strong advantage when it comes to natural colours. Traditional foods already use ingredients like turmeric, saffron, beetroot, spinach, kokum, annatto, and paprika for colouring. Food-grade natural colour extracts such as curcumin, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and chlorophyll are also commercially available. However, natural colours are less stable to heat and light, may affect taste, and often have a shorter shelf life. These technical limitations make them harder to use, especially in packaged and processed foods.

Cost and Industry Challenges

Artificial colours are cheap, consistent, and easy to handle. Natural colours cost more and often require reformulation, better process control, and improved storage conditions. Large food companies can manage this shift through research and investment, but small sweet shops, bakeries, and street food vendors struggle with the added cost. Without financial or technical support, a sudden ban on artificial dyes could push small operators toward illegal colourants, creating a bigger food safety problem.

Enforcement: The Real Bottleneck

India’s food sector is highly fragmented, with millions of small food businesses. Monitoring colour use across this scale is difficult. While FSSAI conducts inspections and awareness programmes, regular surveillance, rapid testing, and strict penalties are still unevenly applied. For a successful phase-out, India needs stronger on-ground enforcement, affordable testing tools, and consistent action against repeat offenders.

Role of Consumer Awareness

Consumer demand can accelerate change. In India, awareness about artificial food colours remains low, and bright colours are often mistaken for freshness or quality. As awareness grows—especially among parents—demand for naturally coloured or dye-free foods can push businesses to reformulate voluntarily. Clear labelling, such as “no artificial colours,” can help consumers make informed choices.

A Gradual Phase-Out Works Better

For India, a phased and targeted approach is more practical than an outright ban. This could include restricting artificial dyes in children’s foods, tightening limits on high-risk categories, promoting natural colours through guidance, and supporting small businesses during the transition.

Conclusion

Phasing out artificial food dyes in India is possible, but not easy. Strong regulations already exist, and natural alternatives are available. The real challenges lie in cost, enforcement, and awareness. A gradual, well-supported transition offers the safest and most realistic path to improving food safety without disrupting the food ecosystem.