The FDA now allows "no artificial colors" labeling claims for foods without FD&C-certified synthetic colors, part of federal efforts to transition away from petroleum-based dyes. The agency approved beetroot red and expanded spirulina extract uses while initiating a safety review of preservative BHA.
The FDA finalized a framework for reviewing food chemicals already on the market and launched assessments of BHT and ADA. Public comments on both reassessments are open until July 13, 2026.
The FDA announced a full reassessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in packaged foods, to determine if it remains safe based on current science. The review follows decades of concerns about BHA being listed as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."