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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced action to remove two petroleum-based colour additives from its list of authorised uses in food, as part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to phase out petroleum-based food dyes.

The agency has issued a final order revoking the authorised use of Orange B as a colour additive in food, while also proposing to revoke the authorisation for Citrus Red No. 2.

The FDA said its proposed action on Citrus Red No. 2 follows a preliminary conclusion that the colour’s use has been abandoned by industry. The additive has been authorised since 1959 for colouring the skins of mature oranges.

The agency’s decision on Orange B follows a review of public comments on its proposed revocation. The FDA said it did not receive information that altered its conclusion that the authorised use of the colour had been abandoned by industry.

In a statement published on the FDA website, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, said: “By working to eliminate outdated authorisations for petroleum-based colour additives that are no longer used, we are modernising our food safety regulations and helping to Make America Healthy Again.”

The FDA is now accepting public comments on the proposed revocation of Citrus Red No. 2 for 30 days, with submissions due by 24 August 2026. Following its review of the comments, the agency will decide whether to finalise the revocation.

The latest actions form part of the FDA’s wider review of colour additive regulations that it says are no longer aligned with current industry practices.

Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said the agency was working to maintain a “science-based, modern regulatory framework” that reflects current manufacturing practices and marketplace realities.

The FDA is also tracking voluntary commitments from food manufacturers, retailers and trade associations to remove petroleum-based food dyes from the US food supply. The initiative forms part of the administration’s broader efforts to encourage a transition towards alternative colour sources.

The agency said the latest decisions represent significant milestones in the wider phase-out of petroleum-based food dyes in the US food supply.