FDA plans to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from food by the end of next year

Push to remove artificial dye in food

FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - The FDA has announced plans to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes from food and medications in the U.S.

Artificial food dyes have been at the center of health concerns among doctors and top U.S. health officials.

What they're saying:

"For 50 years, American children have been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary.

The FDA is ordering companies to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes from U.S. food and medication by the end of next year.

The ban includes dyes like Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3.

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"It's not as if it's going to make everything brown or beige or pale, you know, but there needs to be different because there's no reason for them to be in our food supply," said Dr. David Berger, the owner and medical director of Wholistic Pediatrics and Family Care.

Why you should care:

These dyes are commonly found in cereals, candy, icing, chips, drinks and other everyday food items.

"It's purely cosmetic, and we don't feed our kids' cosmetics," said Berger.

Doctors say these artificial dyes have been linked to numerous health concerns like neurodevelopment issues, types of cancer, diabetes and GI issues.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has been a driving force behind the changes.

"So, for those ingredients that we can't ban legally, we're going to start informing Americans about what they're eating," Kennedy Jr. said. "We're going to try to work with Congress and the White House to make sure that we have adequate labeling."

Big picture view:

The FDA also announced plans to establish a standard and timeline for the food industry to transition to natural alternatives and to create a process for revoking the authorization of synthetic food colorings.

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Berger says the transition will likely take time because companies will have to change formulations.

"They've done it already, because that's the way it is in Europe," Berger said.

The goal is to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from U.S. food and medications by the end of next year.

"If there's even some chance of it being artificial, and it's made from petroleum, there's no food that's supposed to be petroleum," Berger said. "And so, it just doesn't need to be there. So why even take that risk?"

What's next:

The FDA banned Red No. 3 earlier this year. It's already almost entirely banned from foods in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

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The dye will be banned in California starting in January 2027. Lawmakers in Tennessee, Arkansas and Indiana have filed proposals to limit certain dyes, particularly those found in foods served in public schools.

The Source: FOX 13’s Kylie Jones collected the information in this story.

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