EWG Checked 12 Fast-Food Menus: Dyes on All but Two

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2026 -- An Environmental Working Group analysis found certified synthetic food dyes on 10 of 12 surveyed fast-food menus, leaving Chipotle and Subway as the only chains avoiding artificial colorants entirely. Petroleum-based dyes were heavily concentrated in fountain drinks, lemonades, and milkshakes, while sodium nitrite appeared in cured meat toppings at more than half of the chains evaluated.

Key takeaways:

• An EWG review published in September 2026 found certified synthetic food dyes on 10 of 12 major fast-food menus, with Chipotle and Subway being the only evaluated chains without them.
• Artificial colors were concentrated most heavily in beverage offerings such as fountain sodas, lemonades, and specialty milkshakes rather than core savory entrees.
• Sodium nitrite, a functional curing agent, appeared on more than half of the surveyed menus, including Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Subway.
• The findings represent an advocacy evaluation rather than a regulatory enforcement action, though federal and state policies are targeting synthetic colors.

What happened

In early September 2026, the Environmental Working Group released an evaluation examining publicly available ingredient lists from 12 major fast-food restaurant chains operating across the United States. According to the EWG Fast-Food Menu Chemical Review, the advocacy organization screened menu disclosures against its food-chemical tracking list to determine how frequently targeted synthetic compounds appear in everyday quick-service meals.

Under federal law, color additives are governed under certified color additive rules rather than GRAS provisions. The EWG review reported that 11 of the 12 fast-food chains listed at least one additive from the group's target list. Synthetic color additives were the single most prevalent category identified during the audit. Ten out of the 12 menus contained artificial food dyes, with Chipotle and Subway standing out as the only two analyzed chains that listed no certified synthetic colors on their menus.

The investigation noted that artificial colorants were not evenly distributed across food categories. Instead, synthetic dyes were overwhelmingly concentrated in artificially flavored beverages, such as fountain drinks, fruit-flavored lemonades, and milkshakes. The report also observed transparency gaps, pointing out that several restaurant chains do not publish comprehensive, accessible ingredient lists for their beverage programs at the point of sale.

In addition to coloring agents, the EWG review flagged the widespread presence of sodium nitrite. The curing agent and preservative appeared on more than half of the menus analyzed, frequently in processed toppings and deli meats served by chains such as Pizza Hut, Subway, and Domino's.

What changed in restaurant additive oversight?

The EWG report does not change the legal status of these additives, but it highlights an intensifying focus on restaurant ingredient disclosures. Under existing federal frameworks detailed in the FDA Color Additives Guidance, certified food dyes and sodium nitrite remain legally permitted within specified limits. However, public scrutiny and regulatory actions around these compounds have accelerated significantly.

At the federal level, the FDA has finalized its revocation of Red No. 3 authorization in food, establishing a formal compliance date in 2027. Furthermore, the agency has outlined a specific regulatory goal to remove the six certified dyes by the end of 2027, urging manufacturers to transition toward approved plant-derived alternatives. For an overview of authorized plant-derived colorants, review The Natural Food Colors the FDA Approved to Replace Dyes.

At the state level, statutory actions are creating regional requirements for food formulations. California enacted the School Food Safety Act (AB 2316), barring six synthetic dyes (including Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1) from public school meals. Other states, including West Virginia, have introduced or passed broader legislation targeting specific food additives. Readers can monitor these evolving statutory requirements through the Which Food Additives Are Banned in Which US State (2026 Tracker).

Broader international and federal reviews are also reshaping additive oversight. In Europe, additive monitoring programs continue to track cumulative consumption, as seen in EFSA's First Additive Monitoring Report: Tartrazine Exposure. In the United States, federal agencies are examining broader processing metrics, discussed in US to Define 'Ultra-Processed Food': What the Proposal Means.

Who is affected by fast-food chemicals?

This review directly impacts regular fast-food consumers, particularly families purchasing combination meals that include colorful specialty beverages or processed meats. Because children are frequent consumers of fountain beverages, flavored lemonades, and milkshakes, pediatric exposure to synthetic colorants remains a primary focal point of public health research and advocacy.

The chains reviewed in the analysis encompass major national brands spanning pizza, burger, sandwich, and Mexican-style fast-food categories. Consumers who order cured meats such as pepperoni, ham, bacon, or sausage at chains like Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Subway will routinely encounter sodium nitrite unless they actively select uncured options.

Restaurant operators and ingredient suppliers are also affected. Fast-food chains operate under different disclosure standards than packaged-food manufacturers. While packaged goods must list all certified colors by name on the ingredient list under FDA rules, quick-service restaurants often provide ingredient data only via online PDF documents or in-store nutritional brochures, making point-of-sale assessment more challenging for customers.

What it means for shoppers at the counter?

What this means at the shelf is that quick-service customers cannot rely on front-of-menu disclosures to identify certified colors or curing agents; avoiding synthetic dyes requires scrutinizing beverage choices and checking online ingredient PDFs before ordering.

Because fast-food menus do not carry standardized front-of-pack ingredient labels, navigating these additives requires checking digital disclosures beforehand. Practical steps for consumers include:

• Inspect the beverage lineup: Fountain sodas, bright fruit punches, and flavored syrups in milkshakes carry the highest concentration of synthetic dyes across fast-food menus.
• Review cured meat choices: Sandwiches and pizzas featuring pepperoni, bacon, hot dogs, or deli ham almost universally contain sodium nitrite for shelf stability and color retention.
• Consult official nutrition portals: Fast-food chains publish allergen and ingredient guides on their primary websites, which reveal whether a specific sauce or dressing contains synthetic colorants.
• Distinguish fountain formulations: Fountain sodas dispensed in restaurants generally share the same formula and dye profiles as their retail canned and bottled counterparts.

It is important to remember that the presence of an ingredient on an advocacy list does not automatically equate to acute toxicity. What the evidence cannot establish is the exact health outcome for any single individual, as personal sensitivity, underlying metabolic factors, genetics, and total dietary intake vary significantly across populations.

The background

Synthetic color additives have been regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act since the Color Additive Amendments of 1960. Under these rules, synthetic dyes derived from petroleum must undergo mandatory batch certification by the FDA to ensure purity and identity before being used in food, drugs, or cosmetics, placing them outside the standard GRAS pathway.

Over the past two decades, independent researchers and state agencies have examined whether synthetic dyes contribute to behavioral changes in sensitive children. A comprehensive assessment from the OEHHA Synthetic Food Dye Study concluded that synthetic food dyes can exacerbate hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral symptoms in certain children. This assessment contributed directly to legislative efforts restricting dyes in public school meals.

Sodium nitrite has a distinct regulatory history. Regulated jointly by the FDA and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), sodium nitrite serves a critical food-safety role by inhibiting the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores in cured meat products while imparting a characteristic pink hue and cured flavor. Regulatory standards set maximum residual limits in finished meats to minimize the formation of nitrosamines during high-heat cooking.

EWG operates as an environmental and consumer advocacy non-profit. Its food additives tracking lists reflect the organization's independent hazard criteria rather than official regulatory determinations from the FDA or EFSA. While advocacy lists draw consumer attention to ingredient sourcing, federal food safety decisions continue to rely on formal toxicological evaluations and notice-and-comment rulemaking.

For context on earlier dye actions, see FDA Revokes Orange B: The Sausage-Casing Dye Nobody Used and FDA Opens Formal Safety Reassessment of BHT.

What to watch next

Several upcoming regulatory deadlines and legislative developments will shape the presence of food chemicals in both retail and restaurant sectors over the next 18 months:

• 2027 FDA Color Phaseout Targets: Food manufacturers and restaurant suppliers must complete the phase-out of Red No. 3 and prepare for the FDA goal to remove the six certified dyes by the end of 2027.
• State Legislative Calendars: Additional state legislatures are reviewing measures similar to California's AB 2316 to restrict certified dyes and specific preservatives in institutional and commercial food settings.
• Chain Menu Reformulations: Several national restaurant brands have announced voluntary initiatives to remove synthetic dyes from proprietary bakery items, sauces, and fountain beverages in favor of fruit- and vegetable-derived pigments.
• Federal Additive Oversight: Continued modernization of post-market chemical reassessment protocols at the FDA will dictate how other legacy additives are reviewed.