# 2026-22865: FDA Bans One Solvent in Fruit Ink, Keeps Two Others

2026-22865, Color Additive Petition From Environmental Defense Fund et al.; Request To Amend the Color Additive Regulations To Remove the Solvents Ethylene Dichloride, Methylene Chloride, and Trichloroethylene, is a Federal Register rule from Health and Human Services Department, Food and Drug Administration published 2026-11-10, effective 2027-01-11; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22865
- As of: 2026-11-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-22865
- Title: Color Additive Petition From Environmental Defense Fund et al.; Request To Amend the Color Additive Regulations To Remove the Solvents Ethylene Dichloride, Methylene Chloride, and Trichloroethylene
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Health and Human Services Department; Food and Drug Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 72413
- Published: 2026-11-10
- Effective: 2027-01-11
- Comments close: 2026-12-10
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-11

## In one line

FDA Bans One Solvent in Fruit Ink, Keeps Two Others

## Summary

The FDA is making a smart move by banning methylene chloride in inks used to mark fruits and veggies because it can cause cancer in lab animals. However, they’re keeping the other solvents—ethylene dichloride and trichloroethylene—in some color additives since tiny leftover amounts aren’t covered by the cancer rule. This change kicks in January 11, 2027, and anyone who disagrees has until December 10, 2026, to speak up.

## Abstract

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is partially granting a color additive petition submitted by Environmental Defense Fund et al. (petitioners), by amending our color additive regulations, on the basis of the Delaney Clause, to remove the authorized use of methylene chloride as a diluent in color additive mixtures in inks for marking fruit and vegetables. The petitioners provided data demonstrating that this additive induces cancer in laboratory animals. We are denying the remaining petition requests to remove ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene from the list of authorized extraction solvents for annatto extract, paprika oleoresin, and turmeric oleoresin, because any residue of the solvent would be an impurity in the color additive and such impurities are not subject to the Delaney Clause.

## Effects PRIA read

- Ban on methylene chloride in fruit-marking inks: benefit, medium. FDA is revoking the authorization for methylene chloride as a diluent in color additive mixtures used in inks for marking fruit and vegetables. This revocation is effective January 11, 2027, and FDA removed the entry for “Methylene chloride” from Sec. 73.1; objections or hearing requests must be fi…
- Chlorinated solvent residues allowed in spice-derived color additives: cost, low. FDA denied the petition to remove ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene as approved extraction solvents for annatto extract, paprika oleoresin, and turmeric oleoresin because residues from those solvents are treated as impurities (not color additives) under the Delaney Clau…
- Separate order removes extraction uses due to abandonment: benefit, low. The document states that elsewhere in the same Federal Register issue FDA published a final order amending the color additive regulations to no longer provide for the extraction solvent uses of ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene because those uses have been abandoned. Th…

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## Sources
- [2026-22865 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/10/2026-22865/color-additive-petition-from-environmental-defense-fund-et-al-request-to-amend-the-color-additive)
- [2026-22865 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-10/pdf/2026-22865.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-22863, DCM Impartial Access Requirements](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22863)
- [Next: 2026-22866, Color Additive Petition From the International Association of Color Manufacture…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22866)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22865 (as of 2026-11-11).