Letters to the Editor: FDA should prioritize oversight of widely used food additives rather than abandoned ones

To the editor: The Food and Drug Administration’s proposal to formally ban Orange B, a synthetic food dye not used for decades, may seem largely symbolic (“FDA proposes ban on Orange B, a food dye not used for decades,” Sept. 17), yet it highlights a broader issue: the need for more meaningful oversight of food additives. While removing a long-obsolete dye is positive, the agency’s focus might be better spent on dyes and chemicals still prevalent in the food supply that pose genuine health risks. For example, the widely used food dye Red No. 3 was only recently banned 35 years after it was initially linked to cancer.

Regulatory updates should prioritize protecting public health and ensuring consumer safety in ways that have tangible impact. Symbolic bans may generate headlines, but they do little for everyday safety. The FDA has an opportunity to strengthen oversight in a way that matters, safeguarding the millions of Americans who consume processed foods daily.

Arav Mestry, Fremont