THE FOOD SAFETY Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said there are no plans to change regulations here after the US announced a ban on eight synthetic food dyes.

America’s Food and Drug Agency (FDA) announced this week that it is seeking to eliminate the use of eight petroleum-based synthetic dyes used in food processing as part of the Trump administration’s broader ‘Make America Healthy Again’ initiative.

Robert F Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services is proposing to take a number of steps  in the short-to-medium term to revoke authorisation for use of specific synthetic colourings in food manufacturing, and to replace them with natural alternatives.

In a press release, Kennedy said Americans have for a long time been exposed to the colourings “without their knowledge or consent”.

“These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development,” he said. “That era is coming to an end.”

In a statement, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary gave a nod to Europe’s existing food safety legislation which is controlled by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

“Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,” he said.

These include Citrus Red No. 2, Orange B, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2.

What are the regulations in Ireland?

The use of food dyes in Ireland, as in all other member states, is regulated at an EU level under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.

Under these regulations, a food colouring must meet specific criteria in order to receive approval in the EU market.

The regulations state that use of the colourings must be safe upon use, must not mislead consumers and must be of benefit to consumers.

Use of three of the eight synthetic dyes facing the chop in the US is already outlawed within the EU, while the other five are authorised for inclusion in foods manufactured in EU member states.

The three banned dyes are Citrus Red No. 2, Orange B and FD&C Green No. 3 which the FSAI says are not authorised in the bloc due to “safety concerns”.

Will the EU follow the US example?

The EFSA undertakes frequent reviews of additives in line with updated data surrounding their safety.

FSAI Senior Technical Executive Emma Reinhardt told The Journal that no such plans are in place to update the EU’s position on colourings in food.

“The EU has one of the highest thresholds for food safety in the world, which includes food additives, such as colours.” 

She continued: “While the EU has not followed the recent FDA proposal to ban these food colours, it continues to monitor and assess the safety of all food additives. Should new scientific data/evidence emerge indicating a health risk, the EU may consider revising its regulations accordingly.”