Blue 1 (officially Brilliant Blue FCF, FD&C Blue No. 1) is one of the nine FD&C dyes the FDA certifies for food use. It's the blue you see in sports drinks, blue raspberry candy, some cereals, freezer pops, and — mixed with Yellow 5 — the bright green in many gummies and frostings. The FDA has certified Blue 1 as safe for general food use since it was approved, and re-lists it in the annual dye certification batches.
The kid-specific picture tracks the other synthetic dyes. Blue 1 is one of the six dyes named in California's AB 2316, the 2024 law banning synthetic food dyes from foods served in California public schools, effective December 31, 2027. It was included alongside Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2, and Green 3 on the strength of the 2021 California OEHHA review that found synthetic dyes can cause neurobehavioral effects in some children. The American Academy of Pediatrics 2018 policy statement flags synthetic dyes generally — Blue 1 included — as worth limiting in kids' diets pending more research.
The practical shopping move is the same as for Red 40: if you want to reduce your child's dye exposure, default to dye-free SKUs, which are now widely available. Brands like Annie's, Cascadian Farm, Three Wishes, and Magic Spoon avoid all FD&C dyes across their kid lines. In the EU, products with Blue 1 don't carry a warning label (that requirement applies to six dyes but not Blue 1), so this is one case where the US and EU formulations often match.
How to spot it on a label: Blue 1 appears as "Blue 1," "Brilliant Blue FCF," "FD&C Blue No. 1," or the EU code E133. It's frequently paired with Yellow 5 to make green, so a green product may contain both. Any product that lists only generic "artificial color" without breaking out the specific dye may contain Blue 1 — check for the named dye or choose products certified USDA Organic, which cannot contain synthetic dyes.