FDA revokes Orange B and proposes Citrus Red No. 2 revocation

On July 22, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced two related actions affecting petroleum-based food color additives. FDA issued a final order revoking Orange B as a color additive in food, and it proposed revoking Citrus Red No. 2, which remains pending public comment.

Why it matters: for food makers and ingredient suppliers, these are compliance-timeline updates that can affect sourcing, formulation planning, and labeling work as the regulatory status changes.

Orange B: final revocation, with an end date of Sept. 8, 2026 (per FDA’s listings)

FDA said it is issuing a final order revoking Orange B’s authorized use as a color additive in food.

In FDA’s “Regulatory Status of Color Additives” database, Orange B is described as permanently listed for food use now—but it also includes a timing note: food use will no longer be permanently listed after September 8, 2026.

That same entry also describes the current restrictions reflected in the listing, including use on casings or surfaces of frankfurters and sausages and an NTE 150 ppm (by wt) limit in finished foods.

Citrus Red No. 2: proposed revocation, currently limited to mature orange skins

FDA also announced a proposed revocation of Citrus Red No. 2. In the press release, FDA says it is proposing the change because it has tentatively concluded the use has been abandoned by industry.

FDA’s regulatory status entry describes the current authorized use as “mature oranges use only.” The entry also lists a 2 ppm limit for coloring mature oranges, along with other existing conditions tied to how the color additive can be used.

Key caution: this revocation is not finalized. FDA is still accepting public comments and will decide later whether to finalize the proposal.

Deadlines and what to watch next

FDA says it is accepting public comments on the proposed revocation of Citrus Red No. 2 for 30 days. The comment deadline is August 24, 2026, to docket FDA-2026-N-6304.

After the comment window closes, the next reader-meaningful milestone is FDA’s final decision on whether Citrus Red No. 2’s authorized listing will be revoked—followed by any corresponding updates in FDA’s regulatory materials.

Who is likely affected?

These actions primarily affect the upstream and downstream layers of color-additive compliance: ingredient suppliers and importers, plus food manufacturers that use—or rely on—these specific color additives under permitted conditions.

• Orange B: final action, with FDA’s listing indicating the permanent listing status for food ends after Sept. 8, 2026.
• Citrus Red No. 2: still in proposal stage; compliance teams should plan around the uncertainty until FDA decides after comments due Aug. 24, 2026.

Sources

• FDA press announcement (July 22, 2026): final order for Orange B; proposed revocation for Citrus Red No. 2
• FDA Regulatory Status of Color Additives: Orange B