Proposal To Revoke the Color Additive Listing for Use of Citrus Red No. 2 on the Skins of Mature Oranges

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is proposing to issue an order that would repeal the color additive regulation that allows for the use of Citrus Red No. 2 for coloring the skins of mature oranges. Based on certification data, it appears that Citrus Red No. 2 is no longer used for coloring the skins of oranges and has not been certified for use as a color additive in food marketed in the United States since 2020. Because the authorized use of Citrus Red No. 2 appears to have been abandoned, we have tentatively concluded that this color additive regulation is outdated and unnecessary.

Abstract as published in the Federal Register.

The comment window is still open until August 24, 2026. This is the point where industry shapes the final rule — submit comments through the Federal Register document below.

The complete document — every provision, the docket, and the comment instructions — is published in the Federal Register. SPEQ surfaces and indexes it for reference; the authoritative text lives on federalregister.gov.