Hey,
If you're reading this, you probably grabbed my Banned in Europe guide at some point.
The idea behind it was simple. Europe restricts a long list of food additives that are still allowed on US shelves.
That was true when I wrote it.
It's mostly still true today.
But something has shifted over the last 18 months, and I don't think most people noticed.
The US has started closing the gap. Slowly. Unevenly. And not nearly as much as the headlines make it sound.
So I spent the week reading the actual FDA notices, court updates and industry trackers to figure out what's real.
Let's get into it. ☕
QUICK POLL
Before we start, I want to know something about you.
When you flip a package over, what do you look for first?
I'm genuinely curious. Your answers shape what I dig into in future issues.
A FEW THINGS I FOUND
The dye used in some candy, frosting and maraschino cherries. Food makers have until January 15, 2027 to remove it.
Which big food companies have promised to drop artificial dyes, and which haven't.
The biggest proposed change in decades to how food ingredients get cleared in the US. Public comments are open until December 9, 2026.
A law that would put "not recommended in Europe" style warnings on US packages. Right now it's tied up in court.
WHY EUROPE AND THE US EVER DIFFERED
This is the part most "banned in Europe" posts skip. It explains almost everything else.
In the EU, a food additive has to be approved before it can be used.
Scientists at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) review it. It gets an E-number and goes on an approved list, with rules for which foods it can go in and how much.
If new evidence raises doubts, EFSA takes another look. That's exactly what happened with titanium dioxide. In 2021, EFSA said it could no longer consider it safe as a food additive, and the EU banned it in 2022.
The US works differently.
Since 1958, there's been a path called GRAS, short for "Generally Recognized as Safe."
Under GRAS, a company can decide for itself that an ingredient is safe, based on its own experts, and put it in food without ever telling the FDA.
That's why there's no complete public list of every ingredient in the US food supply.
Neither system is perfect.
Europe tends to act when there's uncertainty. The US tends to act when there's proof of harm.
That one difference explains most of the list in your guide.
WHAT'S ACTUALLY CHANGED
1. Red No. 3 is on its way out.
The FDA revoked its approval in January 2025. Food makers have until January 15, 2027 to reformulate.
Worth knowing: the FDA acted because of a 1958 rule (the Delaney Clause) that bans any additive shown to cause cancer in animals. The FDA also said the way it caused cancer in male rats doesn't happen in humans.
Europe already limits it to a few uses, like cocktail and candied cherries.
2. BVO is gone.
Brominated vegetable oil, once used to keep citrus flavor mixed in some sodas, lost its FDA approval in 2024. Companies had until August 2, 2025 to comply. It isn't allowed in the EU either.
3. The big dye phase-out was announced.
In April 2025, HHS and the FDA said they want petroleum-based dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1 out of the US food supply by the end of 2026.
Here's the catch: it's voluntary. Those dyes are still legally approved.
In CSPI's latest data, 12 of the 24 major manufacturers it tracks have committed to removing synthetic dyes from all their products. Hershey is in. PepsiCo has made a partial commitment. Mars, Ferrero and Keurig Dr Pepper have no plan.
Ice cream makers, through their trade group IDFA, pledged to drop synthetic dyes by the end of 2027.
4. California went further.
Starting January 1, 2027, California bans four additives in food sold there: Red No. 3, potassium bromate, propylparaben and BVO.
Companies rarely make a separate recipe for one state, so this will likely change products nationwide.
5. The GRAS loophole might close. Partly.
On August 11, 2026, the FDA proposed a rule that would make it mandatory for companies to notify the FDA when they decide an ingredient is GRAS.
It's not the same as Europe's approval system. Companies would still make the safety call themselves. But the FDA would at least see what's being used.
It's still only a proposal. Even if it's finalized, the requirement wouldn't kick in until 18 months after it takes effect.
WHAT HASN'T CHANGED (YET)
🔸 Titanium dioxide is still allowed in US food. A petition asking the FDA to remove it has been pending since 2023.
🔸 Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1 are still approved. Removing them is a promise, not a rule.
🔸 The Texas warning label was meant to start appearing on new packaging in 2027. A federal judge blocked it in February 2026 for the industry groups that sued and their members, and the state has appealed. So you may see it on some products and not others.
🔸 Old and new recipes overlap. Reformulated products roll out gradually, so the old and new versions of the same product can sit side by side for a while.
THE FREE EXPERIMENT
This one takes five minutes.
Pick three colorful things in your kitchen. Cereal, candy, a sports drink, frosting, anything bright.
Flip them over and look for:
Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 or Blue 1
Red 3 (sometimes written "FD&C Red No. 3")
Titanium dioxide, which can also be listed as just "color added" or "artificial color"
Then check the same product next time you're at the store. You might find a dye-free version right next to it, and now you'll know why.
If you find something interesting, hit reply and tell me. I read every one.
THE PART I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS
"Banned in Europe" is a useful flag. It's not a verdict.
Some additives are restricted because of real safety questions. Others are restricted because Europe's system says "prove it's safe" while ours says "prove it's harmful."
And some aren't actually banned at all.
Red 40 is legal in Europe. It just has to carry a label saying it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children."
The goal isn't to be afraid of your pantry. It's to read the label and make the call yourself.
That's what the guide was always about. No fear. No extremes. Just clarity.
THREE THINGS I'D POST FROM THIS ISSUE
POST 01
Red No. 3 is officially being removed from US food. The deadline is January 15, 2027. Europe already restricts it to a few uses.
POST 02
In the US, a company can decide its own ingredient is safe and never tell the FDA. A new proposed rule would change part of that.
POST 03
Red 40 isn't banned in Europe. It carries a warning label for kids instead. The US doesn't require one.
ONE LAST THING
A lot of people assume nothing ever changes in how America regulates food.
It is changing, faster than it has in a long time. It's just happening quietly, in federal notices and court filings most people never read.
That's what I'm here for.
I'll see you next week.
Wilson From Nature The Cure 🌿
P.S. Is there a product you've always wondered about? Reply with its name and I'll look into whether it's made differently in Europe.
This newsletter is for educational purposes only and isn't medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your own health.
