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February 13, 2026

Color Additives in Alcohol Beverage Products

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are working with industry to eliminate petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply. As you may know, FD&C Red No. 3 will no longer be allowed in foods, including alcoholic beverages. Industry members have until January 15, 2027, to reformulate their products. See TTB Reminder: FDA Revokes Authorizations for Use of Brominated Vegetable Oil and FD&C Red No. 3. On July 14, 2025, FDA issued a letter encouraging food manufacturers to accelerate phasing out the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in foods before the 2027 deadline.

Consistent with its objective to eliminate petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the food supply, on May 9, 2025, FDA announced it was granting three new color additive petitions for color additives derived from natural sources. An additional color additive petition was granted on July 17, 2025. See FDA Color Additives for more information.

How are new color additives approved?

Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, color additives are subject to FDA pre-market approval to determine whether they are safe before they may be used in food. An interested person may petition FDA for the proposed use of a color additive, and the petition must be supported by data showing a color additive’s safety and suitability for an intended use or uses.  

Once the FDA grants a color additive petition and issues a color additive regulation, any manufacturer can use the color additive for the authorized use described in the regulation. For example, the petition for butterfly pea flower extract included coloring of alcoholic beverages as an approved use, but other recent petitions seeking authorization for color additive uses have not specifically included the coloring of alcoholic beverages as an intended use.

Can I use any approved color additive in my alcohol beverage?

A color additive approved for use in food generally may be used in alcohol beverages unless the color additive regulation states otherwise. However, many color additive regulations only authorize the use of a color additive in specific foods, and such specific uses do not necessarily include the use in alcohol beverages. Unless a color additive is approved for use in food generally, the color additive regulation’s intended uses must specifically include coloring of alcoholic beverages to be able to use these color additives, including colors derived from natural sources.

Who do I contact with questions?

We encourage you to seek out the resources on FDA’s website regarding color additive petitions and to contact FDA (premarkt@fda.hhs.gov) with questions about the color additive approval process and how you may ensure your products can take advantage of color additives derived from natural sources as they become available. 

If you have a question about the classification of your alcohol beverage product, or an allowed use of a certain color additive, please contact the Alcohol Labeling and Formulation Division (ALFD) through our ALFD Contact Form. If you need nonbeverage product assistance, contact the Nonbeverage Alcohol and Tobacco Branch using our Scientific Services Division Contact Form.

Proposed Information Collections: Comment Request

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are requesting comments on 7 existing information collections (forms, letterhead applications and notices, recordkeeping requirements, questionnaires, and surveys). We will include or summarize any submitted comments in our request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for reapproval of the described information collections. As such, all comments are part of the public record. To comment electronically, use the comment form posted with this notice in Docket No. TTB–2026–0001 on the Regulations.gov website. To comment by postal mail, see the instructions in the notice.

See the notice for the complete list of the 7 information collections due for OMB reapproval. Among those information collections are:

• OMB No. 1513–0002, Personnel Questionnaire – Alcohol and Tobacco Products (TTB F 5000.9);
• OMB No. 1513–0031, Specific and Continuing Transportation Bonds – Distilled Spirits or Wines Withdrawn for Transportation to Manufacturing Bonded Warehouse, Class Six (TTB F 5100.12 and TTB F 5110.67);
• OMB No. 1513–0056, Distilled Spirits Plants—Transaction and Supporting Records (TTB REC 5150/2 ); and
• OMB No. 1513–0061, Letterhead Applications and Notices Relating to Denatured Spirits (TTB REC 5110/05).

Comments on any of the 7 information collections described in this notice are due to TTB by April 13, 2026.

Department of Agriculture: U.S. Codex Office Meeting

TTB-regulated industries may find this notice of interest.

Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling

SOURCE: Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 25 / Friday, February 6, 2026

AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments

SUMMARY: The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on February 19, 2026. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. position to be discussed at the 45th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS45) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). CCMAS45 will be held in Budapest, Hungary, from March 9–13, 2026. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 45th Session of the CCMAS and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for February 19, 2026, from 1:00–3:00 p.m. ET.

Department of Agriculture: National Organic Program: 2026 Sunset Review and Substance Renewals

TTB-regulated industries may find this notice of interest.

SOURCE: Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 26 / Monday, February 9, 2026

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA

ACTION: 2026 sunset review and substance renewals

SUMMARY: This document announces the renewal of 56 substances listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s organic regulations. This document reflects the outcome of the 2026 sunset review processes and addresses recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture, through the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, by the National Organic Standards Board.

DATES: Applicable July 26, 2026.

What's Trending on TTB.gov: Alcohol Beverage Formula Approval

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Upcoming TTB Outreach Activities

• March 3-5: DISCUS Annual Conference
• March 12: WiVi Central Coast
• March 16-17: NABCA Legal Symposium
• March 17: NW Cider Symposium
• March 25-26: Eastern Winery Exposition

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