On April 29, 2025, Food Business News quoted Claudia Lewis on the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) plan to remove synthetic dyes from food products.
According to the article, the FDA announced plans to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes found in thousands of foods and beverages within the United States by the end of 2026. The process of eliminating the dyes will take a combined effort from farmers, distributors, and manufacturers.
Lewis explained that phasing out all of the dyes could be a complicated and timely transition. “It could take a considerable amount of time for companies to establish relationships with suppliers of natural color alternatives, reformulate products and change product labeling. However, given that some companies sell products without synthetic dyes in other countries, the transition may be easier than anticipated,” she said.
Lewis also commented on the safety of the U.S. food supply. “When you consider the sheer volume of food that is distributed and imported on a daily basis and relative to the instances of foodborne illnesses, I think the U.S. food supply is safe,” she said. “The variety and availability of food have increased dramatically. For example, when I was a child, when strawberry season was over, there was no more access to fresh strawberries unless you canned. Today, the global supply chain has afforded consumers almost unlimited year-round access to foods. Of course, there are outbreaks of Salmonella and other foodborne bacteria, but compared to the volume of food and complicated supply chain, it is relatively low. In my view, that is a result of a diligent FDA and companies that adhere to rigorous food safety standards,” said Lewis.
Click here to access the article.