Walmart is the latest company to say it will remove synthetic dyes from its private-label food brands, as well as 30 other additives, including certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and fat substitutes.
Orange B is only approved as a food colorant in hot dog and sausage casings. FDA has proposed to revoke its authorization as its use has largely been abandoned by industry.
The final Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Report was unveiled in a September 9 press conference led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Food safety, consumer, and environmental stakeholder groups criticize the report’s deregulatory approach and lack of enforceable actions.
The Campbell’s Company is the latest food company to pledge to end the use of artificial food dyes in its products following HHS’/FDA’s prompting, reflecting HHS Secretary Kennedy’s MAHA movement, changing consumer preferences, and state additives bans.
FDA has updated its list of chemicals currently under post-market review, which now includes six additional artificial food colorants, among other chemicals. The agency is also expediting the review of chemicals included in previous updates, like phthalates and titanium dioxide.
Consumer and regulatory demand for naturally derived alternatives to synthetic food colorants is on the rise. To meet that demand, Cornell University scientists have developed a new blue food dye made of algae protein.
FDA is applauding Consumer Brands Association’s (CBA’s) voluntary commitment to encourage U.S. food producers to remove artificial colorants from foods sold in schools by the start of the 2026–2027 school year. CBA said that, while these ingredients are “safe” and “supported by scientific evidence,” the food industry “recognizes preferences are evolving.”
Following FDA’s announcement of its intent to end the use of artificial food colorants—largely by relying on voluntary action by industry—the agency has authorized a fourth petition for a naturally sourced food dye, Gardenia Blue. FDA is also reminding industry that even “natural” colorants must be approved by the agency.
Louisiana recently enacted Senate Bill 14, which HHS Secretary Kennedy called a “Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) bill,” targeting more than 40 food ingredients—such as seed oils, food colorings, sweeteners, and other additives—through product label disclosures and public school meal bans.
FDA’s Human Foods Program has published a proposed agenda for guidance document work to be advanced in 2025, prioritizing opiate alkaloids on poppy seeds, the use of food coloring from natural sources, and new dietary ingredient (NDI) notifications, among other topics.
