WASHINGTON – The Environmental Working Group applauds Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) for introducing legislation that aims to improve the safety of the U.S. food supply by banning harmful synthetic dyes and additives.
The Ban Harmful Food Dyes Act is supported by EWG and Consumer Reports. If enacted, it would revoke approval for use of Blue Dye No. 1 and Blue 2, Citrus Red No. 2, Green Dye No. 3, Orange B, Red Dye No. 3 and 40, titanium dioxide and Yellow Dye No. 5.
These dyes and additives serve no purpose beyond making ultra-processed food brighter and more appealing. And they’re linked to serious health harms, including neurobehavioral problems in children.
More than 35 states have introduced legislation aimed at banning or restricting food dyes and other harmful additives.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary phaseout of petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the nation’s food supply. But this approach isn’t enforceable – it relies on companies keeping to their word about removing the ingredients.
Meng has long supported efforts to get harmful dyes and additives out of the food supply. She is an original sponsor of the Food Chemical Reassessment Act of 2025, which would require the U.S. government to regularly study chemical additives in food to verify their safety. She is also a cosponsor of the Do or Dye Act, which would ban a range of harmful food dyes.
The following is a statement from EWG Policy Director Geoff Horsfield:
We applaud Rep. Meng for her leadership in introducing the Ban Harmful Food Dyes Act.
For far too long, Americans have been needlessly exposed to dyes and additives that scientists have linked to cancer, DNA damage and harmful impact on children’s behavior and development.
Meng’s bill would make our food supply safer by finally removing these toxic substances.
Parents shouldn’t have to second-guess whether the snacks and cereals they buy could harm their kids’ health. This legislation is a commonsense step toward ensuring that food safety standards in the U.S. reflect the best available science.
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
