Liv Saedal, NC Globe Reporter
Featured Image: Jebulon (Wikimedia Commons Public Domain)
Announced on April 22, 2025, President Donald Trump created a plan to phase out certified synthetic food dyes, specifically FD&C colors in his “Make America Healthy Again” plan, despite the lack of scientific evidence proving that the dyes are a health threat.
FD&C colors are dyes approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food, drugs and cosmetics. The dyes are water soluble, and often contain complex organic compounds from hydrogen, sodium, carbon and sulfur. The dyes are produced from petrochemical intermediates and are highly regulated for safety of consumption.
There are conflicting opinions regarding the health concerns of food dyes. According to Today News, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, an author, politician, and a publicly accused conspiracy theorist said, “For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent.”
Contrasting to Kennedy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states, “color additives are safe when they are used in accordance with FDA regulations.” In addition, “When evaluating the safety of a new color additive or a new use for a listed color additive, the FDA considers several factors. These include the short and long-term effects of consumption, composition and properties.”
Some critics link the rise of Attention-Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD) cases in the past decade to the use of synthetic food dyes. However, in opposition, the Henry Ford Health Staff said, “Experts say there’s no evidence that food dye causes ADHD.”
The Trump Administration’s rejection of food dyes has little scientific basis; it is instead based on the rules of the Delaney Clause. According to the FDA, “The Delaney Clause enacted in 1960 as part of the Color Additives Amendment to the FD&C Act, prohibits FDA authorization of a food additive or color additive if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals.”
It’s notable that the Delenay Clause prohibits foods even if they only are harmful to lab rats, not humans. The FDA states, “There were two studies that showed cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3 due to a rat specific hormonal mechanism.” This “rat specific mechanism” isn’t a part of human anatomy.
Trump’s plan in removing synthetic FD&C colors lacks concrete scientific evidence. Whether or not problematic effects rise in the food and makeup industry as a result of the plan, will be apparent within the next couple of years.
