Colours the US doesn't allow
Several colours that are common in European candy are not permitted in US food.
FDA import readiness for European food
Check European products before FDA does.
For US importers, distributors and retailers buying food and candy from Europe. We screen the ingredients and colours of every product and tell you if each one is fit for the US: ready to go, fit after a label fix, or not fit at all.
Exporting from Europe? We work with EU brands too. · Technical screening only. No guarantee of FDA admission.
The risk
When FDA stops a shipment, the importer pays
And the best-before date keeps running the whole time.
Held
FDA flags the entry. Your goods wait in a warehouse and storage fees start.
Detained
You get about 10 business days to prove the product complies.
Paper chase
You chase specs and colour certificates from a supplier in Europe, often with a lawyer.
Relabel, maybe
Label errors can be fixed under FDA supervision, at your cost. Banned colours can't.
Refused
Goods are shipped back or destroyed within 90 days. FDA publishes the refusal.
Then the next shipment. Problems like these can put a product on an FDA import alert, and every later shipment is held automatically.
Request a screeningWhat we find
Legal in Europe is not legal in the US
The details depend on each product. You get them, product by product, in your report.
Colours allowed in other foods only
Some colours are permitted in the US only in certain product types.
Labels written for the EU
US rules differ on ingredient names, allergens, nutrition panel and net weight.
Missing supplier documents
No spec sheet, colour certificate or allergen statement when FDA asks.
How it works
From product list to fix list
Send the product list
With label photos, ingredient lists and spec sheets. We work only from the documents you send.
We screen every product
Ingredients, colours and labels against US rules and use limits.
You find out what's fit for the US
A verdict for each product, with the reason.
You order with confidence
Relabel, drop the product, or ask the supplier for a US version.
Is it fit for the US?
Clear
Fit for the US. No ingredient or colour issues found. Ships with a US label.
Relabel
Fit after a label fix. Ingredients are fine, the label needs changes.
Exclude
Not fit for the US. Contains an ingredient or colour the US doesn't allow.
Verdicts are based on the documents you send and US rules on the date of the report.
EXAMPLE REPORT · fictional products
1 clear
2 relabel
1 exclude
| Product | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Salt licorice diamonds, 1 kg | Exclude | Coloured with vegetable carbon (E153). Not a permitted US colour. |
| Sour fruit hearts, 80 g | Relabel | Colours listed as E-numbers. Net weight missing in ounces. |
| Milk chocolate buttons, 150 g | Relabel | Wheat declared only as “gluten”. |
| Marshmallow bananas, 200 g | Clear | No ingredient or colour issues. Needs a US label. |
Regulatory monitoring
Checked against the rules in force today
US food rules change through new regulations and additive petitions. We review FDA and Federal Register updates every week, so every screening reflects the current rules.
Rule changes
Final and proposed FDA rules on food ingredients, colour additives and labelling.
Additive petitions
Colour and food additive petitions filed with FDA, and each decision to approve or deny them.
Dated reports
Every report states the date of the rules it was checked against.
Reviewed weeklyFDA · Federal Register · eCFR
Pricing
Priced per product
The same screening at every size. The rate per product drops as your range grows, and the total is fixed and agreed in writing before work starts.
| Range size | USD / product | EUR / product |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 10 products | $150 | €135 |
| 11 to 25 products | $120 | €110 |
| 26 to 40 products | $100 | €90 |
| More than 40 | Quoted separately | |
The rate for your range size applies to every product in it. Example: 18 products × $120 = $2,160. Minimum 5 products.
Included at every size
- Ingredient and colour screen against US rules
- Label check against US labelling rules
- Fit-for-US verdict per product, with the reason
- Written report for the whole range
What you're buying
Confidence before you commit to an order
Every product in your range gets a clear, reasoned answer before your money, freight and shelf life are on the line.
- Know what can shipA clear verdict for every product: fit for the US, fit after a label fix, or not fit.
- Order without guessworkFix or drop problem products before you pay for them, not after FDA stops them.
- Facts to take to your supplierThe reason behind every verdict, so you can ask for a fix or a US version.
- Current rules, every timeScreened against US rules as they stand today, reviewed every week.
Scope: a technical screening of the documents you send, not legal advice and not a guarantee of FDA admission. You, your supplier and your importer stay responsible for the products and shipments. Read the full terms
Exporting from Europe?
Same audit, from your side. We tell you which products in your range are fit for the US before your importer asks, so your first order ships clean.
FAQ
Common questions
Is this legal advice?
No. We screen products against published US rules and report what we find. We are not a law firm. If something needs a legal opinion, we say so.
What does "fit for the US" mean?
That we found no ingredient or colour in the documents you sent that US rules don't allow. It is our assessment, not an FDA approval. FDA still decides at the border.
Are you liable if a shipment is held?
No. Our report covers what we found in the documents you gave us. Decisions on recipes, labels and shipments stay with you, your supplier and your importer. Our liability is limited to the fee paid, as set out in our terms.
Can you get products FDA approved?
Nobody can. FDA does not pre-approve food labels or ordinary food products. It checks them at the border. We find the problems before that.
Who is responsible for what?
The importer handles FSVP and prior notice. The factory needs an FDA registration. The brand owner owns the label. We show you where the gaps are.
A shipment is already held. Can you help?
Yes. We screen the documents you have and give you a fix list fast. The response to FDA goes through you or your customs broker.
Which products do you cover?
Food and candy from anywhere in Europe. Our deepest experience is confectionery and snacks.
Get a quote
Tell us what you want to import
We reply with a fixed price and the documents we need.
Or email hello@westboundexport.com