A federal judge just struck down West Virginia's proposed ban on synthetic food dyes including Red 40, marking another regulatory setback in the US. Across the Atlantic, Europe has kept these additives off the market for years due to documented child health concerns. The contrast is stark—while American courts continue backing industrial additives, European regulators took a precautionary stance much earlier. The West Virginia measure had drawn inspiration from public health research, including a influential 2007 Lancet study that raised questions about synthetic dye safety in children. RFK Jr.'s advocacy around food safety also helped fuel the conversation. Yet the court's decision suggests the US legal framework remains more permissive toward chemical additives than its European counterpart, despite accumulating health research.