FDA finalizes Orange B removal, weighs Citrus Red No. 2 ban

The Food and Drug Administration has taken two different regulatory steps involving old food-color authorizations: It finalized the removal of Orange B for frankfurter and sausage casings while proposing to revoke Citrus Red No. 2 for the skins of mature oranges.

The FDA announced the actions on July 22, 2026, and the related notices were published in the Federal Register on July 23. The distinction matters for food manufacturers, orange packers and consumers because Orange B is under a final revocation order, while the Citrus Red No. 2 action remains open for public comment.

Orange B authorization is being removed

Orange B was authorized only for coloring the casings or surfaces of frankfurters and sausages. The authorization included specifications, labeling requirements and mandatory FDA batch certification.

In its final order, the FDA said Orange B was last batch-certified in 1978 and that the agency had received no requests to certify another batch since then. The agency concluded that the authorized use had been abandoned and that the listing was outdated and unnecessary. The order did not identify evidence of continuing authorized commercial use.

The revocation is scheduled to take effect September 8, 2026. Companies or other interested parties may file objections or request a hearing by August 24. The FDA said the effective date could be delayed or stayed if proper objections affect the order.

Citrus Red No. 2 remains a proposal

Citrus Red No. 2 has been authorized since 1959 for coloring the skins of mature oranges. The FDA says it was last batch-certified in 2020 and that the agency has received no requests to certify another batch since then.

Based on that record, the FDA tentatively concluded that the authorized use had been abandoned and proposed repealing the listing. But the proposal is not a final ban or removal. Citrus Red No. 2 remains authorized unless the FDA issues a final order.

Public comments on the proposal are due August 24, 2026. The agency will review the comments before deciding whether to finalize the revocation.

If the proposal is finalized, the FDA has proposed that the order take effect 90 days after publication. It also has proposed not enforcing the applicable requirements for food products made with any remaining certified supply until one year after the effective date. Both terms are proposals and could change.

Why the legal distinction matters

A final revocation and a proposed revocation have different legal effects. Orange B’s authorization has a scheduled end date, subject to the federal objection process. Citrus Red No. 2 remains under its existing authorization while the proposal is being considered.

Food companies, orange packers and trade groups can review the official notices and submit the appropriate comments or objections by August 24. Comments on Citrus Red No. 2 are handled through the FDA’s docket for the proposal, while objections to the Orange B order follow the separate docket and filing instructions identified in that final order.

What consumers should and should not infer

The FDA materials do not announce an immediate recall of frankfurters, sausages or oranges, and they do not instruct consumers to discard products. The actions address two specific color-additive authorizations; they do not eliminate petroleum-based or other food color additives generally.

The FDA’s finding that an authorization has been abandoned is also separate from an independent finding that products currently on the market pose a health risk. The agency placed the actions within broader administration efforts concerning food dyes, but the individual regulatory steps are based on the authorization records and certification histories described in the official documents.

What to watch next

The immediate deadlines are August 24 for Citrus Red No. 2 comments and Orange B objections or hearing requests. The Orange B revocation is scheduled to take effect September 8, 2026, unless the objection process changes that schedule.

The larger question is whether the FDA finalizes the Citrus Red No. 2 proposal and, if so, what effective and compliance periods it adopts.

Sources

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