FDA Approves Three New Natural Food Colors

Credit: Adobe Stock/pamela_d_mcadams

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three new color additives from natural sources for use in food. The decision is part of a larger effort by the FDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reduce the use of petroleum-based food dyes and promote healthier food options.

“For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “We’re removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives — to protect families and support healthier choices.”

The approved colors include the following:

• Galdieria extract blue, a natural blue color from red algae. It can now be used in drinks like smoothies, juices and flavored milks, and foods like ice cream, yogurt, cereal coatings, candy, frosting and more.
• Butterfly pea flower extract, a plant-based color that creates shades of blue, purple and green. Its approval has been expanded to include chips, crackers, pretzels and cereals, in addition to its previous uses in beverages and dairy products.
• Calcium phosphate, a white color now approved for use in chicken products, white candy melts, doughnut sugar and candy coatings.

These new approvals make it easier for food companies to replace synthetic dyes with natural alternatives. The FDA carefully reviewed the safety of each additive before approval.

This move supports a broader goal to remove petroleum-based dyes from the U.S. food supply by the end of next year. More food companies are joining this effort to offer safer, more natural products.

“FDA staff have been moving quickly to expedite the publication of these decisions, underscoring our serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based dyes in the food supply and provide new colors from natural sources,” stated FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, M.D., M.P.H.