FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Food Dyes

 The FDA will phase out petroleum-based food dyes in the coming months, FDA and HHS officials said Tuesday.

"For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals," FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, said during a press conference at HHS headquarters in Washington. "The scientific community has conducted a number of studies raising concerns about the correlation between petroleum-based synthetic dyes and several health conditions such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, cancer, genomic disruption, and GI issues ... So why are we taking a gamble?"

The press conference was held as the FDA announced six actionsopens in a new tab or window it was taking on the issue:

• Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives
• Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings -- Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B -- within the coming months
• Working with industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes -- 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 -- from the food supply by the end of next year
• Authorizing four new natural color additives in the coming weeks, while also accelerating the review and approval of others
• Partnering with NIH to conduct comprehensive research on how food additives impact children's health and development
• Requesting food companies to remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than the 2027-2028 deadline previously required

During the press conference, Makary had some suggestions -- complete with visual aids -- for petroleum dye replacements. "For companies that are currently using petroleum-based red dye, try watermelon juice or beet juice," he said, holding up glass containers that appeared to contain those juices. "For companies currently combining petroleum-based yellow chemical and red dyes together, try carrot juice." (Disclosure: Makary is former medical editor-in-chief of MedPage Today.)

"To be clear, the transition from petroleum-based food dyes to natural ingredient food dyes will not increase food prices," he added. "We know that from other countries that have already made the transition -- it's not an opinion."

Food companies want to make the switch away from synthetic dyes, so "let's start in a friendly way and see if we can do this without any statutory or regulatory changes," said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH.

No formal agreement or settlement has been made with food companies to remove the dyes, and no regulatory action has yet been taken -- because it might not be necessary, Makary said in answer to a question from a reporter. "You win more bees with honey than fire, and there are a number of tools at our disposal," he said. "I believe in love, and let's start in a friendly way and see if we can do this without any statutory or regulatory changes. But we are exploring every tool in the toolbox to make sure this gets done very quickly."

Food companies actually want to do this, he continued. "So why go down a complicated road with Congress when they want to do this? They don't want to deal with the patchwork of 30 different state [regulatory] plans. We've had wonderful meetings with the food industry. I've been amazed, and they are eager to do this. They are good people ... They have kids too, and I think we all want the same thing."

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also praised the food companies. "As we move forward, we are going to work with the industry; they've shown a lot of leadership on this right now," he said. "And in fact, we're getting food companies -- and fast food companies -- who are calling us almost every day and asking us, 'How do we do this? What do you want us to do? Will you do a press conference with us?' And so we're really happy with the reception.... I think most of them really want to have a healthier America. They want clear guidelines, and they want to know what they can and can't do, and we're going to give them that."

But Kennedy also criticized food manufacturers. "I was talking with my staff about these petroleum-based dyes, and I just said, 'If they want to eat petroleum, they ought to add it themselves at home. They shouldn't be feeding it to the rest of us without our knowledge or consent."

"We're going to get rid of every additive in school food that we can legally address," Kennedy said. "One of the problems is that all of these industries cast a dark shadow historically over this agency -- and there's so many conflicts that we are now systematically eliminating -- that has allowed them to suppress the science. There's shockingly few studies, even on food dyes, and on all these other ingredients as well."

The press conference also included a number of other speakers such as West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R), whose state recently bannedopens in a new tab or window certain food dyes; Mike Schultz (R), Speaker of the House of Representatives in Utah, which banned synthetic dyesopens in a new tab or window from school lunches; food blogger Vani Hari; and diet and fitness guru Mark Hyman, MD.

"I'm here today because our food system, specifically our regulatory system for food additives and dyes is failing to protect the health of the American people, especially our children," Hyman said. "Every day, Americans consume thousands of chemicals in our food, many of which have never been independently tested for long-term safety.... We're seeing rising rates of chronic diseases linked to food dyes and other additives, like ADHD, obesity, autoimmune diseases, allergies, endocrine disruption, and even cancer."

"No doctor should watch their patients struggle with chronic illness tied to ultraprocessed food and be powerless to change it because our food policies lag decades behind the science," he said. "Americans deserve a food system that protects their health and not corporate interests."

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/fdageneral/115235