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The US and international formulas are not the same— here's exactly what changed and why.
Pepperidge Farm (Campbell's) USA
| Ingredient | 🇺🇸 US Version | 🌍 International | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Dye 40 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Yellow Dye 5 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Yellow Dye 6 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Blue Dye 1 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
The same company makes both versions — but they use different formulas depending on where the product is sold. In the EU, UK, and Canada, regulations require either banning certain additives outright or mandating warning labels (e.g., "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" for certain synthetic dyes).
Rather than print warning labels, most manufacturers reformulate the product for international markets — using natural colorants like paprika extract, beetroot concentrate, or spirulina instead of petroleum-derived synthetic dyes.
The US FDA has a different standard: it deems additives "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) based on older safety data, while EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) applies stricter precautionary principles and requires manufacturers to prove safety rather than assume it.
Goldfish Colors are a staple snack for children in the US, yet they contain four synthetic petroleum-derived dyes that cannot be used in equivalent EU snack products without requiring behavioral-risk warning labels. Campbell's reformulated Goldfish Colors for the Canadian market with natural colorings (beet juice, turmeric, paprika extract), demonstrating the reformulation is technically feasible. US children eating this product daily are routinely exposed to dyes their Canadian and European peers do not consume.
Find clean brands without these ingredients — organized by category.