Your Ultimate Guide to 2024’s Key Regulatory Deadlines: Stay Ahead of Compliance Challenges!

BVO, or brominated vegetable oil, is a modified oil that used to be found in some drinks to prevent citrus flavoring from rising to the surface. Today, only a few beverages in the U.S. contain BVO, but the FDA is moving quickly to enforce regulations on it. Starting August 2, this enforcement will take effect.

California played a big role in this change. The state has decided to ban BVO along with other ingredients like potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red Dye No. 3 beginning January 1, 2027. If you’re selling products in California, it’s a good idea to start looking for alternatives to these ingredients.

As for Red Dye No. 3, the FDA took longer to respond but has announced its ban starting January 15, 2027. Initially, the FDA hesitated, citing that the issues caused by this dye in rats might not affect humans. However, public concern and pressure from Congress led to the decision to ban it.

California is also banning several other dyes from foods served in schools, including Red 40, Blue 1 and 2, Yellow 5 and 6, and Green 3. This ban will take effect on January 1, 2028. The FDA has indicated that it might review these dyes, especially with new leadership in place.

On another note, the FDA has introduced voluntary limits on lead levels in baby foods as of January 6. These guidelines aim to protect infants from potential developmental and health risks. The new limits set 10 parts per billion for most baby food types, like fruits, vegetables, and meats, and 20 ppb for dry cereals and single-ingredient root vegetables. The FDA considers foods over these levels as potentially unsafe.

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