Unlisted Dyes and Sulfites Trigger Three FDA Recalls

The FDA's September 23, 2026 enforcement report lists several food recalls linked to an unapproved dye and undeclared additives. The actions include an interstate recall of imported fruit candy found to contain Ponceau 4R, a synthetic red color prohibited in domestic foods, alongside Wisconsin bakery and dried-fruit items containing undeclared FD&C dyes and sulfites. These enforcement notices highlight the federal requirements governing ingredient transparency and chemical batch certification.

Key takeaways:

• Hexing Haw Balls candy was recalled in 15 states because it contains Ponceau 4R, a synthetic red colorant not permitted in the United States.
• Elegant Foods, LLC recalled carrot cakes in Wisconsin due to undeclared Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 in the carrot decoration.
• The same firm recalled bulk golden raisins and coconut flakes because of undeclared sulfites.
• Under federal regulations 21 CFR 101.22 and 21 CFR 74.705, certified food dyes like Yellow 5 must be declared by name on finished product labels.

What happened

The FDA published its weekly enforcement report on September 23, 2026, listing several recalls over an unapproved dye and missing label declarations.

The first action, designated as recall H-1387-2026, involves Tiffany Food Corp of Brooklyn, New York. The firm initiated a recall on August 28, 2026, for Hexing Haw Balls candy. The FDA classified the event as a Class III recall on September 17, 2026. The agency's published enforcement record indicates that the product contains Ponceau 4R, an unapproved color additive under U.S. law. A total of 38 cartons of the candy are subject to the ongoing action.

Simultaneously, the FDA disclosed three related recall actions from Elegant Foods, LLC, based in Madison, Wisconsin. All three are Class II recalls. The carrot cake recall was initiated on July 24, 2026, and classified on September 16, 2026.

Recall H-1385-2026 involves 300 units of Elegant Foods Carrot Cake, recalled because the carrot decoration contained Yellow #5 and Yellow #6 that were omitted from the finished product label. The two additional Class II actions for Elegant Foods cover bulk ingredients containing undeclared sulfites: recall H-1384-2026 covers 8 five-pound bags of Golden Raisins, while recall H-1383-2026 encompasses 6 five-pound bags of Coconut Flakes. The FDA lists the candy and carrot cake recalls as ongoing.

What changed

These enforcement actions reflect strict federal boundaries separating permitted, certified additives from unapproved chemical colorants and undeclared preservatives.

For the Hexing Haw Balls candy, the legal violation is the presence of Ponceau 4R. While Ponceau 4R (known as New Coccine or E124) is permitted in several international markets, it is not an approved color additive for food use in the United States under 21 CFR Part 74 or Part 82. In contrast to regions covered in our guide on EU Warning-Label Additives Still Allowed in the US, the United States maintains a closed list of certified colorings. Because Ponceau 4R is not an approved food color in the United States, its inclusion renders the finished candy adulterated regardless of concentration.

For the Elegant Foods products, the recall centers on misbranding rather than an outright prohibition of the substances. Both FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Yellow No. 6 are permitted in the United States, but only when strictly declared. The colors were in the carrot decoration and were not listed on the finished product label. Under 21 CFR 101.22(k), any added coloring must be declared in the ingredient statement.

The dried fruit and coconut products were recalled because sulfiting agents were present without the necessary label warnings. Under 21 CFR 101.100(a)(4), sulfiting agents at a detectable level, 10 parts per million or more in the finished food, must be declared.

Who is affected

The scope of these actions ranges from a 15-state candy distribution to products distributed only in Wisconsin.

The recalled Hexing Haw Balls candy is packaged in a 200 g (0.44 lb / 7.05 oz) clear plastic bag bearing UPC 6 920603 810025, with a Best Before date of 10/01/2026. The package lists only "haw, white sugar, water" and indicates "Product of China." Tiffany Food Corp distributed the 38 recalled cartons across 15 states: Arizona, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The FDA enforcement record did not disclose the specific retail store chains that carried the candy.

The Elegant Foods recalls are centered in Wisconsin. The recalled carrot cake is a 9-inch, 14-serving cake (300 cakes total). The bulk shelf-stable products include 8 five-pound bags of Golden Raisins and 6 five-pound bags of Coconut Flakes. The FDA enforcement records state "No code applied" for the lot identification on all three Elegant Foods items. The public records did not disclose whether these items were distributed strictly to commercial food service operations or sold directly through retail outlets.

Undeclared ingredients matter most to people who deliberately avoid them, such as shoppers who avoid sulfites or Yellow 5. The FDA enforcement reports did not disclose any illnesses or adverse allergic reactions associated with any of the recalled items.

What it means for shoppers

For shoppers and wholesale buyers, these notices emphasize why reading ingredient statements remains essential, even for seemingly simple items.

The haw candy's label listed only haw, white sugar and water, yet the FDA record cites Ponceau 4R as the reason for the recall. Shoppers who bought Hexing Haw Balls with UPC 6 920603 810025 and a Best Before date of 10/01/2026 should not eat them.

For baked goods, the cake base is not the only place a color can come from: in this recall, the colors were in the carrot decoration. Shoppers who avoid these dyes can read What Is Tartrazine (Yellow 5)? Uses, Safety, and Labeling and Is Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow, E110) Safe? Uses, Labels, Risks.

For dried fruit and shredded coconut, people who avoid sulfites should check the ingredient list, and ask about bulk products sold without a full label.

The background

Food additive labeling in the United States is governed by detailed statutory mandates designed to prevent hidden chemical exposures.

Under 21 CFR 101.22(k), any added coloring must be declared in the ingredient statement. For certified color additives, regulations dictate that they must be declared by their specific name as listed in 21 CFR Part 74 or Part 82, such as "FD&C Yellow No. 5" or simply "Yellow 5". A generic term alone is not enough for a certified color; it must be named.

Furthermore, 21 CFR 74.705 requires any food containing FD&C Yellow No. 5 to declare it by name in the ingredient list, and every batch of the dye must be certified by the FDA. A standard commercial example of full compliance can be seen on snack packaging: Doritos Nacho Cheese, for instance, explicitly lists "ARTIFICIAL COLOR (YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, RED 40)" in its formal ingredient deck.

Sulfite regulations follow a similarly rigorous standard under 21 CFR 101.100(a)(4). Sulfiting agents including sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, and potassium metabisulfite cannot be treated as incidental additives if measurable amounts remain. The FDA establishes that any finished food containing 10 parts per million (ppm) or more of sulfiting agents is treated as containing a detectable amount, which must be declared on the label.

What is not known: the public enforcement records do not disclose the exact parts-per-million levels of sulfites measured in the Elegant Foods items, nor the detection thresholds and testing methods used to isolate Ponceau 4R in the imported haw candy.

What to watch next

Ponceau 4R is not an approved color additive for food in the United States, so foods containing it can be recalled. Consumers should watch for further updates to FDA enforcement logs as Tiffany Food Corp and Elegant Foods continue their recall retrieval processes across distribution channels.

Retailers in the 15 affected states handling imported dried fruit candies should verify their inventory against UPC 6 920603 810025 to ensure affected lots are removed from store shelves. Food service buyers in Wisconsin should review bakery and pantry stocks for un-coded 5-pound bags of Elegant Foods raisins and coconut flakes, as well as 9-inch Elegant Foods carrot cakes.

Want to check which colors and preservatives are in the packaged foods you buy? Scan the barcode with the free Aurascan app to see each ingredient explained with cited evidence.