H.R. 10936: Eliminating Dangerous Color Additives Act

This bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to treat certain food, drug, device, and cosmetic color additives as unsafe, starting 2 years after the bill becomes law.

What additives are covered

The bill applies to:

• Color additives that currently require certification under federal regulations.
• Certified color additive lakes, which are a type of color additive used in some products.

What the practical effect would be

Once the 2-year period ends, these covered color additives would be deemed unsafe for use in or on:

• Food
• Drugs
• Medical devices
• Cosmetics

This would likely mean manufacturers would need to stop using these additives in covered products or reformulate products to replace them with other ingredients that remain permitted under federal law.

Reporting requirement

Within 3 years after enactment, the Food and Drug Administration, through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, would have to submit a report to Congress describing:

• How industry has responded and reformulated products;
• What regulations were issued or changed to carry out the law;
• Any recommendations for additional legislative action.

Relevant Companies

• K — Kellanova could be indirectly affected if food products in its portfolio use covered synthetic color additives and need reformulation.
• MDLZ — Mondelez International could be affected through reformulation of packaged foods and snacks that use regulated color additives.
• HSY — The Hershey Company could be affected if confectionery or snack products use covered color additives.
• KO — Coca-Cola may be affected if any beverages or branded products use covered color additives and require reformulation.
• PEP — PepsiCo could be affected across beverages and snack foods that may contain regulated color additives.
• KHC — Kraft Heinz could be affected if any packaged foods or sauces rely on covered color additives.
• CL — Colgate-Palmolive could be affected in certain cosmetic or personal care products that use certified color additives.
• EL — Estée Lauder could be affected by restrictions on color additives used in cosmetics.
• PG — Procter & Gamble could be affected in cosmetics or personal care products that use regulated color additives.