CNN —
The US Food and Drug Administration plans to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the US food supply due to health concerns, Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced Tuesday.
“For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” Makary said. “Now, there’s no one ingredient that accounts for the child chronic disease epidemic, and let’s be honest, taking petroleum-based food dyes out of the food supply is not a silver bullet that will instantly make America’s children healthy, but it is one important step.”
The dyes can be found in many candies, cereals, beverages and even in some medication. Companies use the dyes to give food and drinks brighter colors and make them more appealing.
Which dyes carry risk and at what level is unclear. Historically, research on food dyes has been underfunded. Some studies show that dyes can pass through the human body quickly, but others show that they may accumulate over time.
For decades, research in animals has shown a link between the red dye and cancer. Studies have also shown connections between artificial food dyes and restlessness, trouble learning and attention problems in some children who are sensitive to some dyes.
In January, under the Biden administration, the FDA announced that it had banned the use of red dye No. 3 in ingested drugs, food and beverages.
On Tuesday, Makary said the agency is moving up the deadline on that ban from the previous 2027-28 deadline. He also said it is establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petroleum-based food dyes to natural alternatives.
The FDA said it is initiating a process to revoke the authorization of synthetic food colorings, including those not in production – specifically citrus red No. 2 and orange B – within the coming weeks.
The FDA is also taking steps to work with industry to eliminate six synthetic dyes – red No. 40, yellow No. 5, yellow No. 6, blue No. 1, blue No. 2 and green No. 3 – by the end of the year.
“The FDA is effectively removing all petroleum-based food dyes from the US food supply,” Makary said. “Today’s announcement fulfills the administration’s promise to use both gold standard science and common sense. For the last 50 years, we have been running one of the largest uncontrolled scientific experiments in the world on our nation’s children without their consent, and today we are removing these petroleum-based chemicals from their food supply.”
The FDA also said it will authorize four new natural color additives in the coming weeks and fast-track the review of natural alternatives to synthetic food dyes such as calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue and butterfly pea flower extract.
The agency says it will offer some regulatory flexibility to industry and will partner with the National Institutes of Health to do more research on food additives to determine their effects on children’s health.
