The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a national search for a new Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods and provided an update on the recently proposed restructuring of the agency's Human Foods Program and Office of Regulatory Affairs. Following the announcement, organizations representing consumers, industry, and state and local regulators expressed their concerns.

A group of non-government organizations have recently expressed concerns and raised questions about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) vision for restructuring its Human Foods Program and Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA).

Consumer groups are calling for the use of erythrosine—also known as red dye 3—in foods to be banned, pointing to studies suggesting the food coloring’s carcinogenicity and children’s heightened exposure to the coloring.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being sued by two consumer groups, who want the FDA to implement the traceability provisions in the FDA FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act).