Category:FDA
The Stained Story of Red Dye No. 3
In January 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban on the use of Red Dye No. 3 (erythrosine) in food and ingested drugs. The main concern regarding the dye is that it is a potential carcinogen; studies from the 1980s found laboratory rats which were fed Erythrosine developed thyroid cancer. According to the Environmental Working Group, there are approximately 2,900 food products currently in the market that contain the dye, such as cherry sodas, candies, and frosting (not to mention medicines and supplements). While the ban is a step in the right direction, it is far overdue and leaves questions about what should be done about other artificial dyes that remain in the market.
Eggflation: The Rising Cost of Eggs and Its Impact on Consumers
Egg prices are soaring, but is it just supply issues—or something more? While avian flu and regulations have strained production, major suppliers are raking in record profits, raising suspicions of price manipulation. A federal jury recently found top producers guilty of price-fixing, fueling concerns that consumers are being taken advantage of. As grocery bills climb, the question remains: who’s really cracking under pressure?
Subsidized Addiction: America’s Sweet Problem
Today, Americans are becoming more aware and concerned about the additives in their food that have carcinogenic and other adverse health effects. This increased scrutiny in American nutrition, particularly for children, has been spearheaded by the “Make America Healthy Again” Movement, which seeks higher standards in regulations of what is allowed in food and more transparency for food products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is shifting in the same direction of promulgating stricter food standards, as it recently finalized rules banning the artificial food additive Red No. 3 and updating the standards manufacturers must meet to advertise as “healthy.” However, while agencies and activists work to keep chemical and artificial additives out of American foods, a glaring issue remains. Americans have a sugar addiction problem, and the government is their enablers.
Glass Skin Meets Red Tape: How Korean Beauty Navigates FDA Rules
Among the trends of self-care lies skincare. As self-care has increased in popularity over the last few years, skincare has become increasingly trendy. In 2022, there was a boost in skincare sales with products such as anti-aging products and moisturizers. In the skincare industry, there are known and established brands, but what has recently emerged through popularity on social media and TikTok is Korean beauty (“K-beauty”) products. K-beauty products help consumers achieve “glass skin,” which is clear, poreless, and shiny skin that looks like glass by using specific K-beauty products. In the states, sunscreen is a staple K-beauty product that has emerged.
From Lab to Table: The Future of Regulating Lab-Grown Meat
Human organs grown in labs, lab-grown diamonds, lab-grown plants, and now lab-grown meat. Companies like Upside Foods and GOOD Meat are growing meat from animal cells. Companies have developed a cell line to produce high-quality meat, grow and feed the cells with a “blend of nutrients,” and in two to three weeks, meat is ready to be cultivated and molded into the shape of meat, like a chicken filet. Now, lab-grown meat is commercialized and has been approved by the Agriculture Department for production and sale. Although it could be a few years until lab-produced meat is in grocery stores, regulations need to be approved and put into place just like slaughterhouse meat.
Danger in Every Dye: Why the FDA Should Ban Artificial Food Color Additives
Over the last decade, an increasing number of studies have shown that certain food color dyes have toxic and carcinogenic effects on human health, with focuses predominantly on Red No. 3 and Red No. 40. However, in recent years, studies have revealed the toxicity of many other artificial food color dyes in addition to red dyes. Last month, United States Senator Ron Johnson hosted a roundtable discussion, “American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion”, with prominent doctors and other health advocates to discuss the changes within agriculture, food processing, and healthcare industries and their impacts on the nation’s health. Among many topics covered during the four-hour-long discussion was the negative effects of artificial color additives in everyday foods on people’s health with toxic and carcinogenic effects. This discussion is coupled with increased calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban artificial food color additives in food products. At the state level, California and Illinois have begun to act to ban these toxic color additives statewide.
Caffeine Can Cause a Scene: Why the FDA Should Require Disclosure of Caffeine Content
On May 7, 2024, Panera Bread removed its popular line of ‘charged’ lemonade beverages from its menu following multiple lawsuits alleging that the caffeine content of the drink led to death or serious health problems of customers. One such death occurred in September 2022 when a 21-year-old woman unknowingly consumed 390 milligrams of caffeine in one charged lemonade drink which aggravated her heart condition and led to cardiac arrest. These lawsuits highlight the dangerous reality of caffeine consumption which likely could have been avoided if Panera Bread had clearly displayed the caffeine content of its drinks. However, Panera Bread was under no regulatory obligation to display the caffeine content due to a major gap in the current beverage labeling regulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which does not require any disclosure of caffeine quantity. This regulatory gap poses a growing risk to consumers as new energy drink brands continue to enter the market and push competition by increasing the amount of caffeine packed into each product. In order to fulfill its obligation to public safety, the FDA must introduce regulations to standardize the disclosure of caffeine content to allow consumers to make informed decisions about the products they are choosing.
The “Revolving Door” of the FDA and its Public Safety Impacts
It’s no secret that prior Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators, who managed drug approvals, often get comfortable, high-paying jobs at the same companies that produce those drugs and products, nor is it anything new. This is the “revolving door” of the FDA. The “revolving door” refers to the movement of employees from regulatory agencies to the private corporations they regulate. This phenomenon occurs at every level of employment from standard regulators to senior staff and high-ranking employees. In fact, every FDA commissioner since 2000 has gone on to work for a large corporation regulated by the FDA, which raises ethical concerns regarding the agency’s ability to regulate drug manufacturers without any conflict of interests or corruption. Despite the FDA’s claims that its ethics rules, in accordance with federal laws, prevent FDA regulators and employees from engaging in conflicts of interest by accepting these types of employment positions, the revolving door remains prevalent between the FDA and private pharmaceutical companies. Not only does this raise concerns about conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory decisions, but it also negatively impacts the country’s public health and safety because drugs and other pharmaceutical products are introduced to the market with FDA approval that otherwise should not have been due to dangerous side effects, addictive nature, or other perverse factors pertaining to the specific products.
FDA Approves Flavored Vape Products for the First Time Ever
The popularity of vaping in the United States peaked in 2018 when the company Juul Labs attracted young customers with its variety of flavors and an easily concealable nicotine delivery device. At that time, the FDA had not approved Juul products for use in the United States but had not banned the products either. Instead, the FDA issued a few limitations regarding the sale of Juul products –in 2018, the FDA limited what flavor Juul pods could be sold, and in 2019 required that customers in all states be at least 21 years of age. This marks the beginning of the FDA’s struggle to regulate the availability of flavored nicotine products, which continues today.