Added color
Also appears on labels as: added color, added colors, fda approved colors, colorant, caramel color, chlorophyll (color)
Color added so the product looks a certain way to the person buying it. Caramel color, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, annatto and carmine are the usual ones; a plain "added color" on a label does not say which.
Watched ingredients get highlighted on every product panel you open.
- Where it comes from
- Varies: caramel color is cooked sugar, titanium dioxide and iron oxides are mineral pigments, annatto comes from achiote seeds, and carmine from cochineal insects.
- Why it's in the product
- Appearance. Nothing else.
- Safety and toxicity
- Most are color additives that FDA exempts from batch certification, unlike synthetic dyes such as Red 40. We flag them for the same reason we flag dyes: they do nothing for the pet.
- Interactions and who should be careful
- Your pet does not care what color the food is. An additive that exists only for the buyer's eye earns a caution flag.
General reference, not veterinary advice. Dose, breed, and existing conditions change the answer, so talk to your vet before changing what your pet eats. Think we got this wrong? Tell us and we log it publicly.
Found in 48 scored products
We flag it by name on 37 of them. Lowest scores first.
Milk-BoneFlavor Snacks Dog Biscuitsflagged on this product's score page
Pup-PeroniOriginal Beef Flavorflagged on this product's score page
Beggin'Purina Beggin Flavor Stix With Peanut Butter Flavorimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Gravy TrainChunks In Gravy With Beef Chunksflagged on this product's score page
FriskiesTasty Treasures Accented With Bacon Turkey Dinner In Gravyimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
FriskiesWarm'd & Serv'd Grill'd Bites With Chicken In Gravyimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Gravy TrainMeaty Ground Dinner With Beef & Baconflagged on this product's score page
Fancy FeastClassic Paté Chicken Feastflagged on this product's score page
Fancy FeastKitten Tender Chicken Feastimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Fancy FeastKitten Tender Ocean Whitefish Feastimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Meow MixTenders In Sauce With Real Chicken & Beefimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Hill's Prescription DietWeight Loss r/d Chicken Flavorimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
ShebaPerfect Portions Cuts in Gravy Roasted Chickenflagged on this product's score page
PurinaBeneful Originals With Farm-Raised Beefflagged on this product's score page
Purina Pro PlanComplete Essentials Chicken & Rice Catflagged on this product's score page
ShebaPerfect Portions Salmon Patéflagged on this product's score page
Purina Dog ChowHigh Protein With Real Beef (Classic Ground)imported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Heart to TailPremium Cat Food Turkey & Giblets Entreeimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
WahlOatmeal Formula Shampoo, Coconut Lime Verbenaflagged on this product's score page
Blue BuffaloBlue's Stew Hearty Beef Stewimported, not reviewedflagged on this product's score page
Purina ONESmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adultflagged on this product's score page
IamsProactive Health Adult MiniChunksflagged on this product's score page
IamsProActive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Careflagged on this product's score page
IamsProActive Health Adult Hairball Care with Chicken and Salmonflagged on this product's score page
24 more scored products list this ingredient. Showing the 24 lowest-scoring.