IFT to Explore Artificial Food Coloring in Free Webinar

CHICAGO — The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, is hosting a webinar, “Artificial Food Colors: Consumer Concerns Shaping Policy and Industry,” on Friday, Oct. 11, from 12–1 p.m. CDT. The webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of how consumer concerns around artificial food coloring are influencing policies and shaping the future of additives in the food and beverage industry.

Specifically, the webinar will address the recently passed California School Food Safety Act (AB 2316), which prohibits schools from offering foods and beverages containing six artificial food dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5 and Blue 2.

The webinar will feature experts from three key facets of the global food system: food safety expert Anthony Flood from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) will present consumer perceptions and concerns related to color additives; food industry lawyer Martin J. Hahn, Esq. will provide an overview of current color additives legislation and the likelihood of future policies; and food/color additives consultant David R. Schoneker will address the impact of policy on product development, innovation and the food and beverage industry at large.

“Since the passing of the California Food Safety Act in 2023, several states have proposed similar legislation while the FDA is simultaneously developing a new process for conducting post-market assessments of chemicals in food,” said Anna Rosales, senior director of government affairs and nutrition at IFT. “The discussion of food chemical safety and specifically that of additives continues to expand, and food and beverage professionals should be prepared for state level action and federal updates.”

The webinar is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending can register here.

FOOD ADDITIVES RESOURCES. IFT recently released an updated version of its 2024 Additives Overview, a comprehensive resource that covers use cases, regulations, research and substitutions for all of the additives covered in the California School Food Safety Act, in addition to other frequently discussed additives, including Red 3, titanium dioxide and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or forever chemicals). This IFT member-exclusive resource is an invaluable tool for professionals in the food and beverage industry.

IFT members can access the overview here.

Additionally, both IFT members and non-members can access the Food Additives Toolkit, which covers critical information on additives and preservatives, including the history surrounding food additives and preservatives; use cases and key benefits including ensuring food safety, reducing food waste and enriching nutrition; concerns such as chemical-sounding names, public health and emerging science; as well as the regulatory landscape both nationally and internationally.

Download the Food Additives Toolkit here.