Retrospective analysis of dog study data from food and color additive petitions
The use of animals in toxicity testing and in scientific research more broadly has been a subject of increasing discussion in recent years. Objections to the use of dogs for this purpose focus both on ethical and humanitarian grounds and practical concerns, which note both the expense and time needed for these studies and the value and relevance of dog studies in human risk assessment. To explore alternatives to animal testing for food and color additives, scientists within the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition analyzed a sample of food additive and color additive petitions submitted to FDA (Flannery et al. 2023). The analysis indicated that most safety evaluations of food and color additives did not rely upon dog studies to set an acceptable daily intake, although dog study data were used in making safety decisions in roughly one-third of petitions. Future research should include the development and use of qualified alternative studies to replace the use of animal testing for food and color additive safety assessment while ensuring human safety.