WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revoking one petroleum-based food dye authorization and proposing to eliminate another, advancing the Trump administration’s effort to remove outdated color additive approvals from the nation’s food supply.
The agency issued a final order revoking the authorized use of Orange B and proposed revoking the authorization for Citrus Red No. 2, concluding that both additives are no longer used by the food industry.
Orange B had been approved for use in food under FDA regulations, while Citrus Red No. 2 has been authorized since 1959 to color the skins of mature oranges.
The FDA said it reviewed public comments on its proposal to revoke Orange B’s authorization and found no evidence that altered its conclusion that the additive’s approved use had been abandoned by industry.
For Citrus Red No. 2, the agency has reached a tentative conclusion that manufacturers have likewise abandoned its use and has opened a 30-day public comment period before making a final determination.
“The FDA is committed to maintaining a science-based, modern regulatory framework that reflects current manufacturing practices and marketplace realities,” Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas stated. “By working to remove outdated and unnecessary authorizations under President Trump’s regulatory reform agenda, we are ensuring our regulations remain effective, transparent, and aligned with the agency’s public health mission.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. characterized the actions as part of the administration’s broader food safety agenda.
“By working to eliminate outdated authorizations for petroleum-based color additives that are no longer used, we are modernizing our food safety regulations,” Kennedy stated.
Public comments on the proposed revocation of Citrus Red No. 2 must be submitted by Aug. 24, 2026, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal under Docket No. FDA-2026-N-6304 or by mail to the FDA’s Dockets Management Staff in Rockville, Maryland.
The FDA said it will review submitted comments before deciding whether to finalize the proposed rule.
The actions are part of the agency’s broader review of legacy color additive regulations and coincide with its ongoing effort to track voluntary commitments by food manufacturers, retailers and trade associations to phase out petroleum-based food dyes in favor of alternative color sources.
More information on industry commitments is available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/color-additives-information-consumers/tracking-food-industry-pledges-remove-petroleum-based-food-dyes.
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