Food safety updates: recent FDA and state actions on food additives and transparency

The past few months have seen a wave of regulatory activity in the food safety space in the US. Below we summarized three key developments that may impact ingredient manufacturers and food producers:

👉 FDA phases out petroleum-based dyes and approves natural alternatives

In April, the FDA and HHS announced a plan to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply. The move follows concerns about the safety and necessity of synthetic dyes, and reflects the FDA’s broader focus on supporting industry transition to natural alternatives. This builds on the FDA’s January 2025 decision to revoke FD&C Red No. 3, with compliance deadlines in 2027 (foods) and 2028 (drugs).

Under the broader plan, the FDA intends to:

🔹 Revoke authorization for Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B in the coming months;

🔹 Work with industry to eliminate six additional synthetic dyes (Red No. 40, Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, Blue Nos. 1 and 2, and Green No. 3) by the end of 2026.

At the same time, the FDA approved three new natural color additives in May:

🔹 Galdieria extract blue, derived from red algae, for use in beverages, dairy products, frozen desserts, and more;

🔹 Butterfly pea flower extract, now approved for expanded use in snacks, cereals, and chips;

🔹 Calcium phosphate, a white pigment authorized for candy coatings and ready-to-eat poultry products.

👉 New labeling laws in Texas and Louisiana

Texas and Louisiana have passed new laws that require clearer warnings and ingredient disclosures. These state-led efforts reflect recent FDA transparency initiatives, such as publishing complete response letters and launching FDA Direct, a platform for direct public engagement.

🔹 Texas SB 25, signed on June 22, 2025, requires packaged foods containing any of 44 listed additives to carry a warning label if the ingredient is not recommended for human consumption by regulators in Australia, Canada, the EU, or the UK. The law applies to products sold in Texas, including those manufactured out of state, and covers any packaging developed or copyrighted on or after January 1, 2027.

Covered additives include synthetic dyes (e.g., Red No. 3, Yellow No. 5, Blue No. 2), preservatives (e.g., BHA, BHT), and other ingredients such as bleached flour, emulsifiers, and titanium dioxide. However, federal preemption clauses may exempt ingredients already regulated or deemed safe by the FDA or USDA.

🔹 Louisiana SB 14, signed on June 20, 2025, mandates that products include a QR code linking to a webpage that discloses the presence of listed additives and their FDA approval status. This requirement takes effect on January 1, 2028, and does not include a federal preemption clause.

Additional provisions of the Louisiana law include a ban on 15 additives in public and state-funded school meal programs (e.g., synthetic dyes, preservatives, and titanium dioxide); mandatory seed oil disclosures (e.g., for canola and soybean oil) on restaurant menus or in-store signage; and SNAP soft drink limits and nutrition training for providers.

👉 HHS and FDA launch deregulatory transparency initiative

In a related move to improve regulatory transparency, HHS and FDA have launched a public Request for Information (RFI) to identify outdated regulations. The effort supports President Trump’s Executive Order 14192 and introduces a “10-to-1” policy: for every new regulation, at least ten existing rules must be eliminated. The initiative also includes a regulatory cost cap, expands the scope to cover non-regulatory guidance documents, and requires annual transparency reports. Stakeholders have 60 days to submit suggestions via Regulations.gov (Docket AHRQ-2025-0001).