Does Fruit by the Foot Have Red 40? Roll-Ups Compared

Whether a Fruit by the Foot or Fruit Roll-Ups snack contains Red 40 depends on the flavor, not the brand. Berry Tie-Dye from Fruit by the Foot states 'No colors from artificial sources,' and Strawberry Blast from Fruit Roll-Ups states 'They also contain no colors from artificial sources,' while other listed flavors name Red 40 or other certified dyes. Per 1-roll serving, Berry Tie-Dye lists 80 calories and 9 g added sugars, and Strawberry Blast lists 50 calories and 7 g added sugars. Neither of those two lists names a certified dye.

Key takeaways

• Color sources depend on the flavor. Berry Tie-Dye states 'No colors from artificial sources,' and Strawberry Blast states 'They also contain no colors from artificial sources.' Starburst Cherry and Strawberry (Fruit by the Foot) and Jolly Rancher (Fruit Roll-Ups) list Red 40.
• Per roll, Berry Tie-Dye lists 80 calories and 9 g added sugars, and Strawberry Blast lists 50 calories and 7 g added sugars.
• Carrageenan appears on the Berry Tie-Dye ingredient list but not on the Strawberry Blast list. Berry Tie-Dye lists sugar first, while Strawberry Blast lists corn syrup first.

Fruit by the Foot vs Fruit Roll-Ups: Which Flavors List Red 40 and Plant-Sourced Colors?

Red 40 is named on the Fruit by the Foot Starburst Cherry and Strawberry lists and on the Fruit Roll-Ups Jolly Rancher list. Berry Tie-Dye and Strawberry Blast instead name plant-sourced color ingredients such as vegetable juice, fruit juice, and spirulina extract.

Product and flavor	Color statement or named colors	Calories (1 roll)	Added sugars (1 roll)	Carrageenan on listed ingredients
Fruit by the Foot Berry Tie-Dye	'No colors from artificial sources' (brand page); spirulina extract, vegetable juice, fruit juice (variety pack page)	80	9 g (18% DV)	Yes
Fruit Roll-Ups Strawberry Blast	'They also contain no colors from artificial sources' (brand page); vegetable juice, spirulina extract, turmeric extract, fruit juice, annatto extract	50	7 g (13% DV)	No
Fruit by the Foot Starburst Cherry	Red 40	Not shown	Not shown	Not checked here
Fruit by the Foot Starburst Strawberry	Red 40	Not shown	Not shown	Not checked here
Fruit by the Foot Starburst Orange	Yellow 6	Not shown	Not shown	Not checked here
Fruit Roll-Ups Jolly Rancher	Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1	Not shown	Not shown	Not checked here

The Fruit by the Foot Strawberry Tie-Dye list names 'Vegetable and Fruit Juice added for Color,' and Blue Raspberry Tie-Dye names 'Spirulina Extract added for Color.' The Fruit Roll-Ups variety pack page shows the same plant-sourced color list as Strawberry Blast.

Does Fruit by the Foot Contain Red 40 or Yellow 6 in Every Flavor?

No. Starburst Cherry and Strawberry (Fruit by the Foot) list Red 40, Starburst Orange lists Yellow 6, and Berry Tie-Dye states no colors from artificial sources. The flavor-level differences mean one answer does not cover the whole product line.

Does Fruit by the Foot have Red 40?

Yes, in some flavors. The Starburst Cherry ingredient list ends with 'Potassium Citrate, Red 40,' and the Starburst Strawberry list ends with 'Potassium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Red 40.' In both cases Red 40 is the last ingredient listed.

Does Fruit by the Foot Berry Tie-Dye have Red 40?

The Berry Tie-Dye page states 'No colors from artificial sources.' The complete Berry Tie-Dye ingredient list appears on the variety pack page, which names spirulina extract, vegetable juice, and fruit juice as color sources and does not name Red 40 or Blue 1. The single-flavor Berry Tie-Dye page shows its ingredient list only up to the color line.

The Starburst Orange list shows 'Natural And Artificial Flavor' and ends with 'Potassium Citrate, Yellow 6.' The FDA says the label must list the names of any FDA-certified color additive, such as FD&C Blue No. 1 or Blue 1. Colors exempt from certification (other than carmine and cochineal) can be listed collectively under wording such as 'artificial colors,' 'artificial color added,' or 'color added,' so read the named colors on a package rather than assuming.

Does Fruit Roll-Ups Contain Red 40 in Every Flavor, Including Jolly Rancher?

No, not in every flavor shown. The Strawberry Blast page states 'They also contain no colors from artificial sources,' while the Jolly Rancher ingredient text ends with 'Natural Flavor, Color (red 40, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1).'

Does Fruit Roll-Ups Strawberry Blast have Red 40?

The Strawberry Blast page does not list Red 40. Its color entry reads 'vegetable juice, spirulina extract, turmeric extract, fruit juice, annatto extract,' and the Fruit Roll-Ups variety pack page shows the same plant-sourced color list.

Does Fruit Roll-Ups Jolly Rancher have Red 40?

Yes. The ingredient text on the Jolly Rancher product page ends with 'Color (red 40, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1).' This article quotes only the end of that list, so the rest of its ingredients are not compared here.

How Much Added Sugar and How Many Calories Are in Each Fruit Snack Roll?

Per 1-roll serving, Fruit by the Foot Berry Tie-Dye lists 80 calories and 9 g of added sugars, and Fruit Roll-Ups Strawberry Blast lists 50 calories and 7 g of added sugars. Both labels show a serving size of 1 roll. Calorie and sugar figures can differ between online listings and current packaging, so the Nutrition Facts panel on the package is the reference.

How much sugar is in a Fruit by the Foot?

Berry Tie-Dye has 9 g added sugars per 1-roll serving (18% DV). The same panel lists 9 g of total sugars. The FDA states that the Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet.

• Calories: 80 (Berry Tie-Dye) vs 50 (Strawberry Blast) per roll
• Total carbohydrate: 17 g vs 11 g
• Total sugars: 9 g vs 7 g
• Added sugars: 9 g (18% DV) vs 7 g (13% DV)
• Total fat: 1 g in both; saturated fat 0.5 g (4% DV vs 3% DV)
• Sodium: 50 mg in both
• Dietary fiber: 0 g in both; protein: 0 g in both
• Vitamin C: 9 mg (10% DV) in both
• Servings per container: 6 (Berry Tie-Dye, 4.5 oz) vs 10 (Strawberry Blast, 5 oz)

Nutrition panels for the Starburst and Jolly Rancher flavors are not shown here, so the Nutrition Facts panel on the package in hand is the reference point. The length and gram weight of a single roll were not disclosed on these pages.

How Do the Ingredient Lists Differ Between Fruit by the Foot and Fruit Roll-Ups?

Both lists share pear puree, sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, and palm or palm kernel oil, but the order and the additives differ. Berry Tie-Dye lists sugar first and includes carrageenan, while Strawberry Blast lists corn syrup first and includes pectin and modified corn starch.

• Shared: pear puree, sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, palm and/or palm kernel oil, citric acid, sodium citrate, monoglycerides, malic acid, xanthan gum, vitamin C, natural flavor
• Berry Tie-Dye only: carrageenan, locust bean gum, potassium citrate
• Strawberry Blast only: modified corn starch, pectin
• Color lines: Berry Tie-Dye names spirulina extract, vegetable juice, and fruit juice; Strawberry Blast names vegetable juice, spirulina extract, turmeric extract, fruit juice, and annatto extract

Both brand pages state that the product is made with pear puree and is 'not intended to replace fruit in the diet.' Reading the full list on the package is the only way to confirm the current formula for a specific flavor.

Is Red 40 Allowed in US Foods, and Why Is It Named on the Label?

Yes. FD&C Red No. 40 is an FDA-certified color additive, and the FDA requires any certified color to be named on the ingredient list, which is why Red 40 appears by name on the Starburst and Jolly Rancher lists.

The FDA's listing of approved uses for FD&C Red No. 40 includes categories such as cereal, beverages, gelatins, puddings, dairy products, and confections.

No dated General Mills statement on removing Red 40 or Blue 1 from these fruit snacks has been disclosed, so no removal date can be given. Older boxes may still list Red 40 or Blue 1, and some retailer listings still show older ingredient lists. The package you are holding is the reliable reference for its formula.

For more on how color labels are worded, see Color Added vs Named Colors: 6 Scanned Labels Without FD&C Dyes.

How Can You Check the Current Label of a Specific Fruit by the Foot or Roll-Up Flavor?

Read the ingredient statement and the Nutrition Facts panel on the package itself, because flavor-level color sources differ and online listings can lag behind current packaging. Start with the flavor name, then check the color wording in the ingredient list.

• Find the exact flavor and variety name on the front or side of the package.
• Look for named certified colors such as Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, or Blue 1.
• Look for grouped wording such as 'artificial colors' or 'color added,' and check which sources are named after it.
• Check whether carrageenan or pectin appears in the ingredient list.
• Confirm the serving size (1 roll), servings per container, calories, and added sugars.
• Compare the added sugars Daily Value percentage against the 50 g per day reference the FDA lists.

For a related side-by-side look at fruit snacks, see Do Welch's or Mott's Fruit Snacks Have Red 40? 8 g vs 9 g Added Sugar.

This comparison cannot show how any individual child or adult responds to these colors or ingredients, and it does not cover every flavor, package size, or year of production.

To check the exact package in your hand, scan its barcode with the Aurascan app and read each ingredient on its own.