Food Manifest 
Key Update
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to revoke approvals for certain chemicals used in food-related applications, including food colour production. The decision targets methylene chloride, ethylene dichloride and trichloroethylene over safety concerns, particularly potential cancer risks. The move will withdraw the remaining authorised uses of these substances in specified food colour applications. The revocations will take effect on January 11, 2027.
Methylene Chloride Use in Fruit and Vegetable Marking Inks to End
The first revocation concerns the use of methylene chloride as a diluent in inks used to mark fruits and vegetables. These inks help identify or label fresh produce. Several consumer and environmental organisations, including the Environmental Defence Fund, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, the Centre for Environmental Health and the Environmental Working Group, petitioned the FDA to withdraw this authorisation over safety concerns.
Three Food Colour Additives Affected by the Decision
The FDA’s second revocation covers the use of methylene chloride, ethylene dichloride and trichloroethylene during the manufacture of three food colour additives:
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Annatto extract – A natural colourant commonly used to give foods yellow to orange shades.
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Paprika oleoresin – A concentrated extract used to provide red and orange colours.
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Turmeric oleoresin – An extract used to impart yellow colour to food products.
The International Association of Colour Manufacturers petitioned the FDA to withdraw permission for using these chemicals in the production of these colour additives.
Why Are These Chemicals a Food Safety Concern?
The petitions cited the Delaney Clause of the US Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which prohibits the authorisation of food colour additives found to cause cancer in humans or animals. Methylene chloride has demonstrated carcinogenic effects in laboratory animals. Concerns over the safety of these chemicals have therefore prompted regulatory action to eliminate their authorised use in the specified food-related applications.
What Does This Mean for Food Safety?
Food colour additives must meet safety standards, not only in their use but also in their manufacturing processes. This decision highlights the importance of monitoring chemical risks across the food supply chain. The revocations take effect on January 11, 2027, and apply only to the specified uses under US regulations. They do not ban the three food colour additives themselves.
Source: Food Safety News
