Petroleum in food: what is behind some ingredients?

Petroleum in food: myth or reality?

The idea that "there is petroleum in food" sounds strange, but there is a real relationship between the petroleum industry and some ingredients used in food production.

This does not mean crude oil is placed directly into food. The point is the origin of the raw materials used to produce some synthetic ingredients.

According to the FDA, certified synthetic colors used in foods are mainly produced from raw materials obtained from petroleum or coal.

In other words, the relationship exists in the production chain of these ingredients.

Some colors have petrochemical origins

Among the ingredients that enter this discussion are certain synthetic colors, such as:

• Red 40
• Yellow 5
• Yellow 6
• Blue 1
• Blue 2
• Green 3

These colors are used to create intense and uniform colors in different foods and beverages.

The FDA explains that these colors are industrially synthesized and that certified colors are used precisely because they have characteristics such as intensity, uniformity and color stability.

Therefore, it is not correct to say that a food contains "crude oil". The correct statement is that certain synthetic ingredients may originate from raw materials derived from petroleum.

Why does the industry use these ingredients?

Color plays an important role in the food industry.

Colors may be used to compensate for color changes caused by processing, correct natural variations or simply produce a specific appearance in the product.

That is why these ingredients ended up present in several categories of industrialized foods.

Consumers, however, cannot always quickly identify the origin or function of each substance just by looking at the package.

Interest in this composition is growing

Food composition has been receiving more and more attention.

Consumers are more interested in knowing which ingredients are present in the products they buy, while companies have also been reformulating products to respond to this demand.

This movement is especially evident in the case of synthetic colors.

In the United States, the FDA announced in April 2025 measures to gradually phase out the main petroleum-based synthetic colors from the food supply and establish a transition to alternatives of natural origin.

In 2026, the agency continued moving in that direction. Among the measures are the approval of new color options from natural sources and changes that make it easier to use claims such as "no artificial colors" for certain products that do not use certified petroleum-derived colors.

The FDA also tracks companies that have announced commitments to remove these colors from their products.

What does this mean for consumers?

The discussion is not simply about "petroleum in food".

It shows how the origin and composition of ingredients have become part of the purchase decision.

Two products may look similar, but use different color systems, ingredients and formulation processes.

That is why the ingredient list remains one of the main ways to discover what is inside a product.

It is also important not to turn the discussion into a rule that every synthetic ingredient is automatically dangerous or that every natural ingredient is automatically healthy. The safety of each substance depends on its composition, use, quantity and available evidence. The FDA itself requires a safety evaluation before authorizing colors for use in foods.

Even so, regulatory changes and reformulations announced by the industry point in a clear direction: alternatives of natural origin are gaining space while certain petroleum-derived synthetic colors are beginning to be removed or replaced.

And the more consumers look at composition, the less this difference goes unnoticed.

Sources

• FDA: Color Additives in Foods
• FDA: HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation's Food Supply
• FDA: FDA Takes New Approach to "No Artificial Colors" Claims
• FDA: Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes
• FDA: How Safe are Color Additives?