The US Food and Drug Administration has unveiled measures to phase out the use of petroleum-based food dyes by the end of next year.
Under the plans, the FDA said it will start the process of removing its authorisation for two synthetic food colourings – Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B – “within the coming months”.
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Six other synthetic dyes the agency allows to be used in food – FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2 – will be removed from the food supply by the end of next year, it added.
However, US NGO Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) questioned the announcement, arguing “no rulemaking of any sort” was announced on that group of six dyes.
US food-industry body Consumer Brands Association said the dyes are safe to be used.
In its announcement, the FDA said it was “establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives”.
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By GlobalDataUS Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has been pushing for food manufacturers operating in the country to ditch artificial dyes, said: “For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent.
The FDA said it plans to approve four new natural colourants in the coming weeks and will expedite the review of others, including calcium phosphate, gardenia blue and butterfly pea flower extract.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the health agency “is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada”.
Last month, the US state of West Virginia banned the use of seven synthetic dyes in school lunches and food items.
In January, the FDA announced its intent to ban the use of the Red 3 food colouring additive in food and drugs by 15 January 2027 and 18 January 2028, respectively. The agency said yesterday it will “request” food companies remove the ingredient more quickly.
CSPI said there is no agreement between the US government and the food industry over removing the synthetic food dyes.
Dr Peter Lurie, CSPI’s president, said: “It’s disappointing that Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary would hold a press conference to announce the elimination of food dyes – only for reporters to learn that the only real regulatory moves here are to move to ban two rarely used dyes, Citrus Red 2 and Orange B, within the coming months.
“They announced no rulemaking of any sort remove the remaining six numbered dyes. Instead, we are told that the administration has an unspecified understanding with some unspecified fraction of the food industry to eliminate dyes. History tells us that relying on voluntary food industry compliance has all-too-often proven to be a fool’s errand.”
At the press conference announcing the move, Makary said the move to natural food dyes “will not increase food prices”.
In a statement, CBA president and CEO Melissa Hockstad said: “The ingredients used in America’s food supply have been rigorously studied following an objective science and risk-based evaluation process and have been demonstrated to be safe.
“Removing these safe ingredients does not change the consumer-packaged goods industry’s commitment to providing safe, affordable and convenient product choices to consumers.
“A state patchwork of differing laws creates confusion for consumers, limits access to everyday goods, deters innovation and increases costs at the grocery store.”
