Blue # 1

Blue # 1 carries a safety score of 3/5 and appears in 48 indexed US food products.

Safety score 60.0%

3/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine

How common is vs other flagged additives?

Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Blue # 1 highlighted.

Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Caramel Coloring22612Red 4021595Yellow 518987Carrageenan17853Blue 116643Yellow 613560Sucralose10490Blue # 148
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Score
3/5

Safety Assessment

Blue # 1 has a moderate safety profile (3/5). While approved for use, some studies or consumer advocacy groups have raised questions about certain aspects of this ingredient. Consumers who prefer caution may wish to limit intake.

What the Data Says About

Blue # 1 currently appears in 48 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 3/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification. These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.

Blue # 1 serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.

No specific concern flags are attached to Blue # 1 in our current data snapshot beyond the regulatory and CSPI classifications above. That does not rule out individual sensitivity reactions, and anyone managing allergies, elimination diets, or chronic conditions should verify with a qualified healthcare professional before relying on population-level ratings.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Regulatory and safety classifications for Blue # 1
Source Classification Year
FDA SAFFA Not listed 2024
CSPI Chemical Cuisine Not rated 2024
PlainFoodSafe Score 3/5 2026
Product footprint 48 products OpenFoodFacts

FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.

Products Containing

Showing 48 of 48 products

Applesauce
Tops
75/100
Belgian White Chocolate
Redstone Foods Inc.
100/100
Candy corn
Unknown
100/100
Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels With Peppermint Candy
Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
85/100
Diebergs Markets, Fruit Slices Candy
Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Dierbergs markets, red, white and blue gummy bears
Dierbergs, Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Dierbergs, cotton candy taffy
Dierbergs, Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Dierbergs, gummy apple rings
Dierbergs, Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Dierbergs, totally taffy
Dierbergs, Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Family pack fruit-n-gel
Raymundo's
85/100
Fried & Salted Peas
Weis Quality, Weis Markets Inc.
100/100
Fruit Snacks
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Inc.
100/100
Gilliam, Happy Easters Candy Sticks
Quality Candy Comapny Llc
85/100
Gilliam, Old Fashioned Sticks
Quality Candy Comapny Llc
85/100
Gourmet Pretzel, Dark Chocolate With Peppermint Candy
Landies Candies Co. Inc.
85/100
Gummi albunnies
Unknown
100/100
Gummy cherries
Unknown
100/100
Gummy Worms
Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Harris teeter, transformers fruit snack
Harris Teeter, Harris-Teeter Inc.
100/100
Holiday gummi bears
Unknown
85/100
Icee, Slush, Fruit Punch
Big Easy Blends
85/100
Italian fancy cookies
Unknown
75/100
Jalapeno mozzarella sticks
Unknown
85/100
Juice stix, orange, lime & raspberry
Unknown
95/100
Laura lynn, fruit flavored snacks
Laura Lynn, Ingles Markets Inc.
100/100
Liquid Water Enhancer Berry Pomegranate
Harris-Teeter Inc.
100/100
Lotta Juice Pops
Unknown
100/100
Markets, Neapolitan Taffy
Dierbergs, Rb. Confections Lc.
95/100
Markets, Spice Drops Candy
Dierbergs, Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Moose munch premium popcorn
Harry & David
100/100
Party pops
Unknown
90/100
Pomegranate berry sparkling chill
Unknown
85/100
Rainforest frogs
Unknown
85/100
Red White & Blue Pops
Giant Eagle Inc.
90/100
Red, white & green fruit sour balls
Unknown
100/100
Red, White And Blue Bears
Shop N Save
100/100
Shop N Save, Gummy Cherries
Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Shop N Save, Red, White And Blue Fruit Sours
Rb. Confections Lc.
100/100
Sparkling Water Beverage
Black Bear
85/100
Sparkling Water Beverage With Juice
Claire Baie
85/100
Sparkling Water Beverage With Juice
Black Bear
85/100
Sparkling Water Beverage With Juice
Black Bear Beverages
85/100
Strawberry Pastry Crisps
Kiggins
85/100
Superior On Main, Winter Wonderland Iced Cookies
Superior Cake Products Inc.
100/100
Target, sugar skull lollipop, watermelon
Target, Melville Candy Corporation
85/100
Transformers Fruit Flavored Snacks
Price Chopper, Price Chopper Supermarkets
100/100
Tropical Pops
Weis
80/100
Wasabi peas
Unknown
100/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Blue # 1 safe to eat?

Blue # 1 has a safety score of 3/5. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.

What products contain Blue # 1?

Blue # 1 is found in 48 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.

What does Blue # 1 do in food?

Blue # 1 serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.

Where does this ingredient safety data come from?

Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.