ARLINGTON, Va. – FMI – The Food Industry Association's Chief Public Policy Officer, Jennifer Hatcher, issued the following statement regarding the joint announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on specific food color additives. They plan to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the nation's food supply by the end of 2026.
“As the food industry association, FMI regards FDA as the authority on food safety and nutrition standards for products sold in the United States and HHS in its role to promote public health. The agencies have the unique ability and important role not only to carefully evaluate scientific data and information on a particular substance, but also to make risk-based decisions and communicate those to consumers and industry alike to instill confidence in the safety of our food supply and food products.
“As science evolves and color alternatives are developed, tested and made available, innovations will continue to grow alongside changing consumer preferences. Many of these alternatives rely on an important ally for consumers – farmers and their capacity to grow the necessary alternatives and ensure that they meet other applicable FDA regulations. We're committed to working alongside farmers, the food industry and federal partners to innovate and keep the U.S. food system safe, nutritious, abundant, and globally respected.”
Consumer Brands Association has released the following statement from Melissa Hockstad, president and CEO, on HHS and FDA's intent to remove food dyes from the food supply.
“The ingredients used in America’s food supply have been rigorously studied following an objective science and risk-based evaluation process and have been demonstrated to be safe. Removing these safe ingredients does not change the consumer packaged goods industry’s commitment to providing safe, affordable and convenient product choices to consumers. As we increase the use of alternative ingredients, food and beverage companies will not sacrifice science or the safety of our products. Earlier this year, we urged HHS and FDA to follow the same rigor and we encourage the administration to prioritize research that is objective, peer reviewed and relevant to human health and safety. Consumer Brands has long asked HHS and FDA to reestablish themselves as the country’s leading regulatory authority and we appreciate that the administration has reasserted their leadership in response to the myriad of state activity in the food regulation space. A state patchwork of differing laws creates confusion for consumers, limits access to everyday goods, deters innovation, and increases costs at the grocery store.”
