The objective of the study was to evaluate the identification and quantification of synthetic colorants present in carbonated beverages marketed in the city of Trujillo. Nine carbonated beverages and three instant soft drinks were analyzed, using as standards the commercially available colorants Tartrazine (E102), Ocaso Yellow FCF (E110), Allura Red AC (E129) and Brilliant Blue FCF (E133). The Arata-Possetto method was used to purify the colorants, to extract the colorants from the beverages and to determine whether the colorant is synthetic in nature. Infrared spectroscopy analysis of the standard dyes was performed to identify the azo group. The identification was carried out using thin layer chromatography and visible spectrophotometry. For the thin layer chromatography, silica gel 60 aluminum chromatofolios were used and the solvents ethanol, isopropanol, cyclohexane and isopropanol/cyclohexane combinations were used as mobile phase; the best results were obtained at a combination of isopropanol/cyclohexane of 80 %.