Designates certain listed color additives as legally unsafe and declares any food containing them to be adulterated on set dates. “Qualified” color additives are treated as unsafe beginning December 31, 2025; “covered” color additives are treated as unsafe beginning December 31, 2026. The text identifies which specific additives fall into each category.
Beginning on 2025-12-31, a “qualified color additive” is deemed unsafe for use in or on food under subsection (a) of section 721 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and any food that is, or bears or contains, such a color additive is adulterated under section 402(c) of that Act.
Beginning on 2026-12-31, a “covered color additive” is deemed unsafe for use in or on food under subsection (a) of section 721 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and any food that is, or bears or contains, such a color additive is adulterated under section 402(c) of that Act.
Defines “covered color additive” as the following color additives (as defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act): Red No. 40; Yellow No. 5; Yellow No. 6; Green No. 3; Blue No. 1; Blue No. 2; and any additive substantially similar to those listed.
Defines “qualified color additive” as the following color additives: Citrus Red No. 2; Orange B; and any additive substantially similar to those listed.
Who is affected and how:
Overall effects: The provision creates firm deadlines that are likely to prompt reformulation, inventory management, and increased testing and compliance activity in the food supply chain. Costs and operational burdens will be concentrated on manufacturers, processors, and retailers, with downstream effects on consumers and product availability. No implementation funding, exemptions, or transition processes are included in the text provided.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Last progress June 4, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 4, 2025 by Anna Luna