Media Contact: Meredith Huddle
[email protected]
202-293-5800
October 1, 2024
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Members of The International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM) uphold the highest safety standards for colors used in consumer products and firmly believe in evidence-based decision-making rooted in rigorous scientific assessments.
The recent signing of California’s AB 2316 deviates from this principle by disregarding the safety evaluations conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has consistently affirmed the safety of FD&C colors for use in food products. Notably, in 2019, the FDA concluded that insufficient evidence exists to establish a direct link between synthetic color consumption and adverse behavioral effects. The passing of this law only stokes food safety confusion and fear for California consumers.
Effective policymaking should be guided by evidence-backed conclusions from regulatory authorities. Beyond the FDA, both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have reviewed these colors, concluded that they can continue to be safe, and found no credible safety concerns for children’s intake. Unfortunately, California’s approach undermines these globally recognized conclusions and does not offer a clear, scientific framework for evaluating the safety of these ingredients otherwise.