The Natural Food Colors the FDA Approved to Replace Dyes
Galdieria blue, butterfly pea flower extract, calcium phosphate and gardenia blue: what the FDA approved in 2025, where each can be used, and what changes on labels.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Blog
Ingredient education for real labels
Practical guides and ingredient reviews that help you understand food and personal-care labels before you scan them with Aurascan.
Cluster: Food Regulation News
Glycerol in Slush Drinks: EFSA Sets a Limit, UK Says No Under 7
EFSA's 2026 opinion set an acute reference dose for glycerol (E 422) that one slush drink exceeds; the UK now advises none for children under 7. What parents should know.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Potassium Bromate Bans: What States Have Done and When
California bans potassium bromate from January 1, 2027 and New York has passed its own ban. What is banned where, where the FDA stands, and how to spot bromated flour.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Baby Food Heavy-Metal Test Results Are Now on the Label
California AB 899 and Maryland's Rudy's Law require batch testing of baby food for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury with QR-code disclosure. What to look for.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
FDA Opens Formal Safety Reassessment of BHT: What It Means
The FDA launched a post-market reassessment of the preservative BHT in May 2026. What was actually announced, what stays legal, EU limits, and how to spot BHT on labels.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Food Brands Race to Drop Artificial Dyes Before 2027
Which food companies have committed to removing synthetic dyes and by when, what California and the FDA actually require, and what shoppers will see on labels.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
FDA Proposes Ending Self-Affirmed GRAS: What Changes for You
The FDA's August 2026 proposed rule would make GRAS notification mandatory. What the loophole was, what changes, the timeline, and what shoppers can do now.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Cluster: Scanner App Comparisons
Best Yuka Alternatives in 2026: 8 Food Scanner Apps Compared
Eight Yuka alternatives compared: Open Food Facts, Fooducate, EWG Healthy Living, Fig, Aurascan, Bobby Approved, MyFitnessPal and ScanEat, and who each suits.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Myth: One Health Score Tells You If a Food Is Good for You
Can a single Nutri-Score, Yuka, Fooducate or EWG grade tell you if a food is healthy? What the scores measure, what they ignore, and when they help or mislead.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Aurascan vs Open Food Facts: What Each One Tells You
Compare Aurascan and Open Food Facts: cited ingredient evidence versus crowdsourced Nutri-Score and NOVA data, and when each app helps.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Aurascan vs Fooducate: Which Food Scanner App Fits You?
Compare Aurascan and Fooducate: cited ingredient evidence versus letter grades, database coverage, pricing, and which app may fit your goals.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Best Food Label Scanner Apps in 2026: 8 Compared
The best food label scanner apps in 2026 compared: Yuka, Aurascan, Open Food Facts, EWG Healthy Living, Fooducate, Bobby Approved, MyFitnessPal and Think Dirty.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Aurascan vs EWG Food Scores: Which Reads Labels Better?
Aurascan vs EWG Food Scores compared: the 1-to-10 score vs organ-mapped evidence, data sources, unknown barcodes, cost, and which app fits how you shop.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Aurascan vs Yuka: Which Food Label Scanner App Is Better?
Compare Aurascan and Yuka: scoring methods, data sources, unknown barcodes, pricing, and which food label scanner may fit your shopping.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Cluster: Diet Soda
Pepsi Zero Sugar vs Diet Pepsi: Ingredients and Caffeine
Pepsi Zero Sugar vs Diet Pepsi compared: both use aspartame plus Ace-K, caffeine 38 vs 35 mg per can, the 2023 recipe change, acids, preservatives, and which to pick.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Coke Zero Sugar vs Diet Coke: Ingredients and Caffeine
A plain-English comparison of Coke Zero Sugar vs Diet Coke: ingredients, sweeteners, caffeine differences, label analysis, and metabolic health context.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Coca-Cola Light vs. Coca-Cola: Ingredients Compared
A plain-English review of Coca Light Vs Coca: what it is, why it appears on labels, safety context, common uses, and sources.
7/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Cluster: Sweeteners
Aspartame vs Sucralose: Which Sweetener Is Safer for You?
Aspartame vs sucralose compared: sweetness, heat stability, PKU warning, FDA and EFSA daily limits, the 2023 IARC classification, gut evidence, and which to use where.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Worse Than Sugar? Facts and Labels
Understand what high fructose corn syrup is, how HFCS-42 and HFCS-55 compare to table sugar, health impacts on the liver, FDA regulations, and label aliases.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Stevia vs Monk Fruit: Which Sweetener Is Better for You?
Stevia vs monk fruit compared: sweetness, aftertaste, FDA and EU status, ADI, blood sugar and gut evidence, hidden bulking agents, and which one to pick for baking.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) Safe? Uses and Labels
Learn what acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) is, why it is paired with other sweeteners, its FDA and EFSA safety status, and how to spot it on ingredient labels.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Are Steviol Glycosides? Uses, Safety, and Labels
Learn what steviol glycosides are, how they are extracted, how purified extracts differ from whole-leaf stevia, and how to read blend labels.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Erythritol Safe? Heart Concerns and Side Effects
Explore whether erythritol is safe, how it works in keto foods, what the latest cardiovascular research shows, and its digestive side effects.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Sucralose? Uses, Safety, Baking Risks, and Labels
Learn what sucralose is, how it is made, its regulatory status, potential baking risks, gut microbiome effects, and how to read tabletop sweetener labels.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Aspartame? Uses, Safety, and Labeling Explained
Learn what aspartame is, how it is metabolized, why the 2023 WHO IARC and JECFA rulings differ, PKU label warnings, and common alternative sweeteners.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Cluster: Preservatives
Is Polysorbate 80 (E433) Safe? Uses, Gut Health, and Labels
Learn what polysorbate 80 (E433) is, why it is added to foods and supplements, what the latest research says about gut health, and how to spot it on labels.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Sodium Nitrite Safe? Cured Meat, Nitrosamines, and Labels
Learn what sodium nitrite is, why it is added to cured meats, its health risks, the celery powder label loophole, and how to read food labels accurately.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is MSG (Monosodium Glutamate, E621) Safe? Uses and Labels
Learn what monosodium glutamate (MSG, E621) is, why it is added to foods, how your gut metabolizes it, and how FDA and EFSA evaluate its safety.
9/9/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Carboxymethylcellulose (Cellulose Gum, E466) Safe?
Carboxymethylcellulose (cellulose gum, E466): how it is made, where it hides, the 2022 human emulsifier trial on gut health, FDA vs EU status, and how to spot it.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Potassium Sorbate? Uses, Safety, Labels, and Risks
Learn what potassium sorbate is, why it is used in cheese, wine, and cosmetics, how your body processes it, and whether it poses any health or gut risks.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Butylated Hydroxyanisole? Uses, Labels, and Safety
A plain-English review of Butylated Hydroxyanisole: what it is, why it appears on labels, safety context, common uses, and sources.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Sodium Benzoate? Uses, Labels, and Safety
A plain-English review of Sodium Benzoate: what it is, why it appears on labels, safety context, common uses, and sources.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Cluster: Food Dyes
EU Warning-Label Additives Still Allowed in the US
Nine additives that need a warning label or are banned in the EU but stay legal in the US: Southampton dyes, titanium dioxide, bromate, ADA, propylparaben.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF, E133) Safe? Uses and Labels
Blue 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF, E133): how it is made, where it shows up, absorption and ADI evidence, FDA vs EU vs California school rules, and how to spot it.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow, E110) Safe? Uses, Labels, Risks
Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow FCF, E110): what it is, where it shows up, the EU warning label vs US status, who reacts to it, and how to spot it on labels.
9/8/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Titanium Dioxide? Uses, Safety, and Labeling
Learn what titanium dioxide is, why the EU banned food additive E171 while the FDA permits it, nanoparticle health concerns, and how to spot it on labels.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Tartrazine (Yellow 5)? Uses, Safety, and Labeling
Learn what tartrazine (Yellow 5) is, why it is used, its safety and sensitivity concerns, labeling rules, and common alternatives.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Erythrosine? Uses, Labels, and Safety
A plain-English review of Erythrosine: what it is, why it appears on labels, safety context, common uses, and sources.
9/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Cluster: Ingredient Safety
What Are Natural Flavors? Uses, Labels, and Safety Explained
Are natural flavors actually natural? Learn how these highly processed mixtures are made, how they are regulated, and how to identify them on labels.
6/15/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Benzoyl Peroxide Safe? Stability, Regulation, and Safety
Learn how benzoyl peroxide treats acne, how it is made, what recent benzene recalls found, and how to read product labels.
6/15/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Is Carrageenan Safe? Uses, Safety, and Regulatory Status
Discover what carrageenan is, why it is used as a food stabilizer, and what the latest scientific research says about its impact on digestive health.
6/5/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Red 40? Uses, Safety, and Pending FDA Regulations
Learn what Red 40 is, why it is used, what current safety research says, how regulations are changing, and how to spot it on labels.
6/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
What Is Gluten? Uses, Health Effects, and Labeling Explained
Discover what gluten is, how it is processed, its safety profile, regulatory changes as of 2026, and how to identify hidden sources on food labels.
6/4/2026 · Chris Carrillo
Label-reading intel, weekly.
What changed on food labels this week — bans, recalls, and new guides.