US Congress · H.R. 5027 · In committee

Ban Harmful Food Dyes Act

Introduced

Moved

Reached a final decision

Introduced 2025-08-22

Derived from the official record below.

Officially: “Ban Harmful Food Dyes Act” Read the full text

Health

What it does

Starting January 1, 2027, the bill would treat a list of color additives, including Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Citrus Red 2, and titanium dioxide, as unsafe for use in food, even though they are currently approved. Any food containing one of these dyes, or an additive substantially similar to them, would be considered adulterated under federal law.

Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.

Read it in plain language

AI plain language2 sections

Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.

1Short title

This section would give the Act its short title, the Ban Harmful Food Dyes Act.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ban Harmful Food Dyes Act .

2Food containing certain color additives deemed adulterated

This section would make certain color additives unsafe for use in food, no matter any existing listing, certification, or certification exemption those additives currently have under section 721 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Starting January 1, 2027, each of the following would be deemed unsafe for use in or on food: Red No. 40 (CAS 25956-17-6), Red No. 3 (CAS 16423-68-0), Yellow No. 5 (CAS 1934-21-0), Yellow No. 6 (CAS 2783-94-0), Blue No. 1 (CAS 3844-45-9), Blue No. 2 (CAS 860-22-0), Green No. 3 (CAS 2353-45-9), Orange B (CAS 15139-76-1), Citrus Red 2 (CAS 6358-53-8), Titanium Dioxide, and any additive that is substantially similar to any of those. Also starting that date, any food that is, or that bears or contains, one of these color additives would be treated as adulterated under section 402(c) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

2. Food containing certain color additives deemed adulterated (a) In general Notwithstanding the listing and certification (or exemption in effect with respect to such certification) of any covered color additive pursuant to section 721 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 379e ), effective beginning on January 1st, 2027— (1) a covered color additive is deemed unsafe for use in or on food within the meaning of subsection (a) of such section; and (2) a food that is, or it bears or contains, such a color additive is adulterated within the meaning of section 402(c) of such Act ( 21 U.S.C. 342(c) ). (b) Covered color additive In this section, the term covered color additive means the following color additives (as such term is defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 321 )): (1) Red No. 40. (CAS 25956-17-6). (2) Red No. 3 (CAS 16423-68-0). (3) Yellow No. 5. (CAS 1934-21-0). (4) Yellow No. 6. (CAS 2783-94-0). (5) Blue No. 1. (CAS 3844-45-9). (6) Blue No. 2. (CAS 860-22-0). (7) Green No. 3. (CAS 2353-45-9). (8) Orange B. (CAS 15139-76-1). (9) Citrus Red 2. (CAS 6358-53-8). (10) Titanium Dioxide. (11) Any additive that is substantially similar to the additives specified in paragraphs (1) through (10).

AI plain languageRead the whole bill in plain language, 2 sections

Where it is

Introduced · 2025-08-22

In the House.

Committee, then floor votes in both chambers · next · the next step

Official documents

Full bill textread it on this site, version ih (Introduced in House), as published by GovInfo

official

The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-12. The same version at GovInfo.

The numbers

of bills introduced became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=16,213)

sponsors, out of 218 needed to pass

Who is lobbying on this

CONSUMER HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS ASSOCIATIONvia CONSUMER HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION

1 filing

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUPvia ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP

1 filing

MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL, INC.via THE SMITH-FREE GROUP, LLC

1 filing

From 3 filings in federal lobbying disclosures (LDA), via lda.gov, naming this bill (2026). Filings are self-reported by lobbying firms and show who is paid to influence this bill. They do not say which side, or whether it worked.

Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (2025-08-22).