The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put forward a proposal to ban the use of Orange B as a color additive in food products, noting that it has not been utilized by the food industry for almost 50 years. The agency is seeking to revoke the approval of Orange B for coloring the casings or surfaces of frankfurters and sausages, citing that the use of this additive has essentially been abandoned, rendering the regulation outdated and unnecessary.
This move by the FDA is part of a broader effort to encourage food companies to voluntarily remove artificial colors from their products. In addition to Orange B, the agency is also preparing to revoke the approval of Citrus Red No. 2, another less commonly used additive.
The decision to target seldom-used additives like Orange B and Citrus Red No. 2 is strategic, as these changes are less likely to face resistance from the industry. Orange B has not been approved for use as a food colorant since 1978, while Citrus Red No. 2 is primarily used on the skins of certain citrus fruits. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the amount of Citrus Red No. 2 that an individual would consume is so minimal that the associated risk is considered negligible.
The Trump administration has opted for a voluntary compliance approach to phase out the remaining six certified artificial dyes, as an outright ban could lead to legal challenges. The FDA has not presented any new data indicating that artificial dyes pose health risks, which poses regulatory challenges, according to legal experts.
Earlier this year, the Biden administration banned Red Dye No. 3 due to studies linking it to cancer in rats. This decision was based on a rule dating back to 1960, which allows for the revocation of approval for chemicals found to cause cancer in humans or animals.
Efforts to regulate or ban food additives are gaining momentum at the state level, with a New York congresswoman introducing a bill to revoke the legal status of commonly used food dyes. As of March, lawmakers in 20 states have introduced nearly 40 bills aimed at regulating or banning food additives, reflecting growing concerns about the safety of synthetic colors in food products.