Synthetic Food Dyes Are on Their Way Out, FDA Says
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says petroleum-based food dyes will be phased out by the end of next year. But food safety advocates are skeptical that companies will meet the deadline.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have announced a plan to phase out several artificial food dyes from the American food supply by the end of 2026 — a move that could impact many popular snack foods, drinks, and candies.
The April 22 announcement is part of HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again initiative.
“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Kennedy said in a press release.
“These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development,” he said.
Kennedy pledged to work with the industry “to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.”
“These proposals are a long-overdue step in the right direction,” says Lorne Hofseth, PhD, a professor and an associate dean of research at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia. “The evidence linking synthetic dyes — particularly Red 40, Yellow 5, and Red 3 — to behavioral and biological harm, especially in children, is substantial.”
“Phasing them out will better align U.S. policy with science and with actions already taken in Europe and other regions,” says Dr. Hofseth.
Are the Food and Beverage Industries on Board?
There were no representatives from the food and beverage industries at the press conference for Kennedy’s announcement, and so far no companies have publicly agreed to the plan, according to reporting in the New York Times.
The International Association of Color Manufacturers, which represents both makers and users of dyes, pushed back against the description of artificial dyes as unsafe: “Color additives have been rigorously reviewed by global health authorities, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority, and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, with no safety concerns,” the association said in a statement.
Another trade group, the National Confectioners Association (NCA), said in a press release that it was looking forward to working with the federal government on the issue: “We are in firm agreement that science-based evaluation of food additives will help eliminate consumer confusion and rebuild trust in our national food safety system.” The group maintained, however, that “FDA and regulatory bodies around the world have deemed our products and ingredients safe.”
Which Food Dyes Are Being Banned?
Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B — two potentially cancer-causing additives used to dye orange peels and sausage casings — will have their authorization for use revoked within the coming months, per the agencies.
For the six other petroleum-based dyes, the FDA isn’t planning to issue an official ban. Instead, the agency is asking food manufacturers to phase them out by the end of next year, according to the release.
That list includes:
Red 40 Linked to hyperactivity and allergic reactions
Yellow 5 Connected to DNA damage and inflammation
Yellow 6 Suspected of contributing to behavioral issues
Blue 1 Tied to kidney tumors in animal studies
Blue 2 Found to increase the risk of brain tumors in lab rats
Green 3 Associated with bladder tumors in animal models
HHS also announced that it is pushing for the food and beverage industry to remove Red 3 sooner than the previously announced deadline of 2027.
Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine) Skittles and Blueberry Pop-Tarts
Green 3 (Fast Green FCF) Canned peas and lime sherbet
Red 3 Snack cakes, fruit cocktails, and maraschino cherries
FDA Will Fast-Track Review of Natural Colorings to Replace Synthetic Dyes
The FDA is fast-tracking the review of calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and other natural alternatives to synthetic food dyes.
“Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,” said the FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, in a press release.
“We have a new epidemic of childhood diabetes, obesity, depression, and ADHD. Given the growing concerns of doctors and parents about the potential role of petroleum-based food dyes, we should not be taking risks and do everything possible to safeguard the health of our children,” said Dr. Makary.
Some Food Safety Advocates Are Disappointed — and Skeptical
Removing the artificial dyes will ultimately be voluntary for companies. The phase out is based on “an understanding” that the agencies have worked out with the industry, according to Kennedy.
Some food advocacy experts are questioning if that’s going to be enough to get the food industry to make the requested changes.
“It’s encouraging to see the FDA working towards a ban on synthetic food dyes, but this multistep plan relies on voluntary industry efforts that will simply prolong the amount of time it will take to get dangerous dyes out of our food,” said Brian Ronholm, the director of food policy at Consumer Reports, in a press release.
Ronholm said he believes that an enforceable ban on harmful synthetic food dyes is necessary to get the job done. In the meantime, states should continue to act on legislation to remove toxic chemicals and dyes from food, he said.
“Consumers shouldn’t have to wait and rely on this industry to act voluntarily after years of resistance,” said Ronholm.
Ultimately, the announcement on food dyes includes "no rule making of any sort" to remove commonly used synthetic dyes from the food supply — and that’s disappointing, said Peter Lurie, MD, the president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety advocacy group, in a press release.
"We wish Kennedy and Makary well getting these unnecessary and harmful dyes out of the food supply and hope they succeed. ... But history tells us that relying on voluntary food industry compliance has all-too-often proven to be a fool’s errand,” said Dr. Lurie.
If the agencies and the food industry follow through on these promises in a timely way, it will be a win for consumers, says Hofseth.
“Consumers will benefit from a safer food supply with fewer synthetic additives linked to DNA damage, inflammation, and behavioral issues. It will also make food labeling simpler and more transparent, helping families make informed choices,” he says.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Emily Kay Votruba has copyedited and fact-checked for national magazines, websites, and books since 1997, including Self, GQ, Gourmet, Golf Magazine,Outside, Cornell University Press, Penguin Random House, and Harper's Magazine. Her projects have included cookbooks (Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet), self-help and advice titles (Mika Brzezinski's Know Your Value: Women, Money, and Getting What You're Worth), memoirs (Larry King's My Remarkable Journey), and science (Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Learn, by Cathy Davidson). She started freelancing for Everyday Health in 2016.
Becky Upham has worked throughout the health and wellness world for over 25 years. She's been a race director, a team recruiter for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a salesperson for a major pharmaceutical company, a blogger for Moogfest, a communications manager for Mission Health, a fitness instructor, and a health coach.
Upham majored in English at the University of North Carolina and has a master's in English writing from Hollins University.
Upham enjoys teaching cycling classes, running, reading fiction, and making playlists.
