HHS and FDA Announce Plan to Eliminate Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes from U.S. Food Supply

In a move to overhaul food safety, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced measures to eliminate all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply. The initiative is part of the broader "Make America Healthy Again" campaign.

Effective immediately, the FDA is setting a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition to natural color additives. It also plans to revoke authorization for Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B in the coming months and work with industry leaders to phase out six other synthetic dyes by the end of next year.

“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development.”

To accelerate the shift, the FDA will authorize four new natural color additives and is fast-tracking reviews of several others, including butterfly pea flower extract and gardenia blue. It is also urging food manufacturers to eliminate FD&C Red No. 3 ahead of its 2027-2028 deadline.

The FDA and the National Institutes of Health will partner to conduct in-depth research on the health impacts of food additives on children, a step officials say will help restore public trust and guide science-driven policy.