Media Contact: Meredith Huddle
[email protected]
1-202-331-2466
WASHINGTON – The International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM) represents the global color industry, including manufacturers and users of both natural and synthetic (FD&C) colors. Color additives, whether natural or synthetically derived, are essential for product consistency, visual appeal, and consumer trust in food products.
Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a press event during which, among other things, Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary called for a voluntary “phase out” of FD&C colors from the food supply by the end of 2026. Importantly, the announcement does not equate to a ban on FD&C colors in the U.S. The FDA offered no new scientific evidence nor any legal or regulatory actions to make such a limitation mandatory.
Color additives have been rigorously reviewed by global health authorities, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, with no safety concerns. Despite common misconceptions, FD&C colors are one of the most highly regulated food additives, with a strong safety profile. They are approved and continue to be used worldwide, including within the European Union, where they are identified by their chemical name and E number.
The FDA also announced its intention to approve new naturally derived colors, including those that have been under agency review since 2021. It is critical for the FDA to maintain a science-based risk assessment process for evaluating color additives. IACM appreciates the agency acting on these outstanding Color Additive Petitions and looks forward to working with the FDA on identifying additional efficiencies to the Color Additive Petition process to ensure that new colors approved for use continue to have the same strong safety profiles as those already approved and in use in the U.S.
Product reformulation is a complex and lengthy process. Announcing that all products will phase out FD&C colors by the end of 2026 ignores scientific evidence and underestimates the myriad of factors that companies must consider when determining appropriate color additive use, including obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, identifying sufficient supply, and ensuring quality control measures. Furthermore, many natural colors require an abundant agricultural reserve—something the current global agricultural system is not equipped to provide at the scale necessary to replace FD&C colors in the food supply by 2026.
At the same time, promising research and development is underway by IACM members to address alternative production technologies such as precision fermentation, which offers an opportunity to provide additional color sources to complement existing FD&C and exempt color additives. We urge the FDA to provide industry guidance on such technologies to promote safe, science-based solutions.
Fundamental changes to the composition of the U.S. food supply require ample time and execution. The aggressive voluntary timeline posed by the FDA to phase out FD&C colors, which are safe, highly regulated food ingredients, would be highly disruptive, disregarding the need to transition supply chains, shore up agricultural resources, and transform manufacturing infrastructure.
IACM and its members remain committed to science-based dialogue on color additives. For more fact-based information on the safety of colors, please explore the following resources: