The FDA's Food Advisory Committee concluded in an 11 to 13 vote that there was not enough evidence to support a clear link between food coloring and health issues, particularly behavioral problems among children.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has submitted another blow to the soda industry in a petition with the FDA to ban ingredients commonly known as "caramel coloring" found in many sodas and snack food items due to the increased risk of cancer caused by these colorants.

In 1976, M&M candies discontinued their "Red M" amidst concerns over the potentially fatal risk of red food coloring that contained amaranth (in FD&C Red #2), suspected as being cancer-causing. Though M&M did not use this dye in the product pulled from store shelves, fears about red-dyed foods were so heightened, the red-colored candy did not return for more than a decade.