Sponsors (5)
The bill reduces consumer—especially child—exposure to certain synthetic food dyes and makes enforcement clearer, at the cost of industry reformulation expenses, potential higher consumer prices and reduced choices, and added legal/regulatory uncertainty.
Consumers (including children and parents): will have reduced exposure to specified synthetic food color additives because foods containing them are designated adulterated beginning end of 2025/2026, which may lower risks some studies link to behavioral or other health concerns.
Federal public health regulators: gain clearer statutory prohibitions and an explicit adulteration standard for the listed additives, simplifying enforcement and compliance determinations.
Food manufacturers, retailers, and small businesses: will incur reformulation, relabeling, and supply-chain compliance costs to remove the banned dyes, which could materially affect producers—especially smaller firms.
Consumers (broadly): may face higher prices or reduced availability of some processed foods as companies reformulate or exit products, shifting costs onto households.
Food industry and legal stakeholders: introducing statutory adulteration and a 'substantially similar' standard overrides prior FDA certifications and could prompt litigation and enforcement disputes, creating regulatory uncertainty.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced June 4, 2025 by Anna Luna · Last progress June 4, 2025
Prohibits a set of synthetic food color additives by declaring them unsafe and making foods that contain them "adulterated" under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. One group of additives (Citrus Red No. 2; Orange B; and substantially similar additives) is banned beginning December 31, 2025, and a larger group (Red No. 40; Yellow No. 5; Yellow No. 6; Green No. 3; Blue No. 1; Blue No. 2; and substantially similar additives) is banned beginning December 31, 2026. The measure overrides existing listings, certifications, or exemptions under the FD&C Act for these substances.