Consumers' foundation finds all 15 popular tea brands use food colours

All 15 popular Thai milk tea brands contain food colours, a consumer study finds. Experts urge careful label reading and caution in consumption

The Foundation for Consumers has announced that its study found all 15 popular brands of Thai milk tea used food colours, to varying degrees depending on the brand.

The foundation said its Smart Buy online magazine collected samples of 15 popular Thai milk tea brands in March for testing at a laboratory with ISO 17025 standards.

The foundation reported that the tests found the following key results:


Food colours (approved for use in foods) were found in all samples
Each sample contained between one and four colours, including Sunset Yellow FCF, Tartrazine, Ponceau 4R, and Carmoisine (also known as Azorubine)
Sunset Yellow FCF was found in all samples, with amounts ranging from 7.90 milligrams per kilogram of drink to as much as 291.41 milligrams per kilogram
The three highest amounts of Sunset Yellow FCF detected were 291.41 mg/kg, 250.20 mg/kg, and 222.26 mg/kg


Dr Kaew Kangsadan-ampai, an advisor to Smart Buy magazine, said that although these food colours are permitted for use in foods, consuming chemical additives could still pose health risks.

He advised consumers to choose tea products bearing the Food and Drug Administration's approval licence numbers.

Kaew also urged consumers to study tea labels carefully and recommended that Thais either reduce their consumption of tea containing food colours or make tea themselves using colour-free ingredients.

(2025/04/27-00:00)