Mace Introduces Bill to Ban Synthetic Food Dyes

Representative Nancy Mace's H.R. 10936 would have HHS deem covered color additives unsafe for use in food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Mace Introduces Bill to Ban Synthetic Food Dyes

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Should the federal government ban synthetic food coloring in food and cosmetics?

U.S. Representative Nancy Mace introduced H.R. 10936, the Eliminating Dangerous Color Additives Act, on October 29, 2026. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Why it matters

The bill would target FDA-certified color additives and certified color additive lakes across multiple product categories nationwide. Rep. Mace cited concerns about the potential health and behavioral effects of synthetic dyes, arguing the additives serve primarily aesthetic purposes.

H.R. 10936 would require HHS to deem covered color additives unsafe under Section 721(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with the prohibition applying to FDA-certified color additives and certified lakes. Color additives exempt from FDA certification are not affected, and whether the bill will move past the Energy and Commerce Committee has not been determined.

The players

Nancy Mace

A Republican U.S. Representative from South Carolina who introduced the bill and has previously focused on consumer protection and health-related legislation.

House Committee on Energy and Commerce

The standing House committee with jurisdiction over health, food and drug regulation, and consumer product legislation, to which the bill was referred.

The details

The bill applies to color additives subject to FDA certification under 21 CFR Part 74 and to certified color additive lakes described in 21 CFR 82.51. It requires HHS, acting through the FDA Commissioner, to submit a report to Congress within three years of enactment on industry reformulation status.

October 29, 2026: H.R. 10936 introduced in Congress
Two years after enactment: Prohibition on covered color additives takes effect
Three years after enactment: HHS report to Congress due

Legislative Policy Context

The bill would operate through Section 721(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the provision that governs FDA certification of color additives used in food, drugs, and cosmetics. By directing HHS to deem covered additives unsafe, it would set a statutory prohibition that goes beyond the agency's current certification framework.

If enacted, the prohibition would take effect two years later and would reach FDA-certified color additives used in food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. Consumers would see changes in products only after reformulation, which the bill's three-year HHS report is designed to track.

The takeaway

The bill's timeline gives manufacturers a two-year window before any prohibition applies, and its three-year reporting requirement means Congress would receive data on reformulation progress before the policy's full effect is measured.