By Julie Holt, Director, Global Advisory Services
U.S. State-level Food Additive Package
Do not get caught off guard—the U.S. State-level Food Additive Package helps you stay ahead of regulatory changes, giving you the time you need to adjust your compliance strategies before they impact your business.
Under the Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, United States Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kenney Jr. recently announced a shortened timeline for removal of artificial food dyes from the U.S. food supply. During an interview on April 9 with CBS, the Secretary stated that he is accelerating the ban on synthetic dyes such as Yellow #5 to a two-year deadline rather than the original timing of 2029. The initial four-year timeline was set to coincide with the end of his term.
While Secretary Kennedy acknowledges technical and cost challenges associated with substituting natural food dyes, the food and beverage industry will have to act quickly or face government intervention. One technical challenge is creating vegetable dyes that are as vibrant as their synthetic counterparts. It is unclear whether the natural dyes will lead to increased costs for consumers, but product reformulations can be expensive.
Recently synthetic food dyes have faced increasing scrutiny. West Virginia recently passed legislation banning synthetic food dyes with an enforcement date of August 1, 2025. At least twenty-three other states have similar active legislation underway. Earlier this year the FDA banned Red No. 3 at the federal level starting in 2027.
The food industry is already pivoting towards removal of synthetic dyes. The ingredient shift is largely viewed as an opportunity to improve food and beverage products, and the industry tone with HHS initiatives is considered collaborative and constructive. Secretary Kennedy’s office signaled that further regulatory action may follow.
Stay ahead of shifting U.S. State-level food additive regulations with the Regulatory Trends U.S. State-Level Package
The Regulatory Trends U.S. State-Level Package is a powerful, expert-driven solution designed to help food and beverage companies navigate the growing patchwork of state legislation. Gain visibility, foresight, and control with tools that deliver real-time insights and actionable intelligence.
- Real-time tracking of proposed and pending food additive legislation across all 50 states
- Early alerts & state-specific risk analysis to help your team anticipate and respond quickly
- An Interactive Dashboard highlighting legislative momentum and ingredient-specific trends by state
- Access to the U.S. State-Level Food Additive Expert Analysis Report, including expert-driven insights and impact statements
About the Author
Julie Holt is a subject matter expert in the areas of food and beverage, additives, and regulatory strategy. She has beverage industry expertise and currently provides consulting support across multiple beverage categories. Ms. Holt has more than 25+ years of regulatory experience in the food and food ingredients industries and managed her own advisory firm, Scientific & Regulatory Solutions LLC, prior to joining FoodChain ID. As a consultant, Julie supported several food and beverage clients including a Fortune 50 company. Julie has provided global regulatory knowledge covering more than 200 countries.