Dye replacement · Yellow 5 · United States
Yellow 5 replacement testing
Replacing Yellow 5 means testing the dye-free version of your product against the original before production commits. Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) is one of six synthetic dyes the FDA asked industry to phase out voluntarily by the end of 2027 — while states and retailers move earlier. Upload both versions, get each one scored across five areas, and see which color holds appeal and purchase intent.
is when California bans Red 3 and three other additives in any food sold in the state — two weeks before the federal deadline.
One state, one date, a different rulebook. Your Yellow 5 reformulation lands on the same shelf.
Source: California AB 418 (Chapter 328, 2023).
The context
Why the map keeps moving
Voluntary is not the same as optional
The FDA's phase-out of six dyes has no rule and no penalty. But the largest brands have announced public commitments, and the one that has not announced stands out.
States move first, and courts move them back
California banned Red 3 at retail from January 2027; Texas and West Virginia passed retail rules that federal courts have paused. The map changes every quarter.
The shelf does not wait for the ruling
Retailer clean-label programs and school food rules land before any federal deadline. Plan for the strictest market, not the one paused today.
How it works
Upload both versions
Your current product and the dye-free or clean-label concept — name, description, pack images, price, audience and the competitors you care about. Or just drop in your brief.
Get them scored
Each version is evaluated across five areas — Concept, Packaging, Naming, Market and Shelf — with 13 dimensions, two independent evaluations each, and a written diagnostic.
Compare and decide
Up to six variants head-to-head, against your competitors and the platform's historical average, with a radar chart and recommendations you can act on.
What you get
A decision with evidence, not a room's opinion
5
areas scored
Concept, Packaging, Naming, Market and Shelf — run all five or only the ones you need.
6
variants head-to-head
Your current product against the reformulated versions, in one comparative study.
2
independent evaluations
Per dimension, consolidated — so one erratic read does not decide your launch.
3
improved packs per request
Subtle, balanced or bold — generated from the diagnostic, ready to test again.
Frequently asked questions
What brands ask us
- Is this dye actually banned?
- No. Red 3 is the only one with a federal ban (January 15, 2027). The six on the phase-out list are voluntary at the federal level; some states restrict them in schools, and two state retail bans are paused in court.
- Can I compare several replacement colors?
- Yes — up to six variants in one study, each scored across the same dimensions, so you compare on evidence instead of a room's opinion.
- Does this tell me if I comply?
- No, and it is not meant to. It measures how shoppers respond to the change. Regulatory compliance is your regulatory team's call.
- How much does it cost to start?
- Start free — no credit card.
Test the change before the shelf does
Upload both versions and see which one keeps your shopper.
Start free — no credit card