The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced further steps to remove two outdated authorisations for petroleum-based synthetic food colours.
The news comes as the regulator continues its wider push to transition the US food supply towards alternative colour sources.
The FDA has issued a final order revoking the authorised use of Orange B as a food colour.
The agency said that it had concluded that the authorised use of Orange B had been abandoned by industry and that it had received no information during the public comment period to change this assessment.
The FDA also proposed revoking Citrus Red No. 2 on the same grounds — that its use has been abandoned by industry.
The colour has been authorised since 1959 for colouring the skins of mature oranges, with its use restricted to mature oranges.
The proposal is now subject to a 30-day public comment period, with comments due by August 24, 2026.
The moves form part of a broader FDA and US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative announced in 2025 to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply.
The programme is also targeting six other certified colours – FD&C Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2 – with the FDA working with food manufacturers, retailers and trade associations on their removal by the end of 2027.
For those in the supplement and nutraceutical industry, the regulatory direction could have implications beyond the two colours directly affected by the latest action.
Formulators developing products for the US market may increasingly need to assess colour systems, sourcing and formulation performance as demand grows for alternatives to synthetic petroleum-derived colours.
The FDA has, however, also been taking steps to expand the range of alternatives available to manufacturers.
In February 2026, the agency announced enforcement discretion for certain voluntary 'no artificial colours' claims where products do not contain petroleum-based colours, alongside expanded use of spirulina extract and approval of beetroot red as a new colour option.
The latest actions therefore add further momentum to a shift that could create opportunities (and formulation challenges) for suppliers of natural and naturally derived colour solutions across the food, beverage and nutra sectors.
“The FDA is committed to maintaining a science-based, modern regulatory framework that reflects current manufacturing practices and marketplace realities,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, J.D.
By working to remove outdated and unnecessary authorisations under President Trump’s regulatory reform agenda, we are ensuring our regulations remain effective, transparent and aligned with the agency’s public health mission.
