FDA approves three natural food dyes amid push to eliminate synthetics

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three new natural food dyes, making good on a promise to push for a phaseout of synthetic dyes in food. 

The FDA approved the use of galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate on May 9, expanding the natural food dye options for the food industry, which has signaled a willingness to start removing synthetic dyes from its products. The newly approved ingredients can be used in a wide variety of foods including smoothies, milkshakes, breakfast cereals, candy, soft candy, frostings, ice cream, crackers, pretzels, chips and other snacks. 

The April phaseout announcement from the FDA and the Health and Human Services (HHS) said the food industry “voluntarily” agreed to work with the agencies. Several high-profile brands, including PepsiCo and Tyson Foods, have announced synthetic dye removal plans in recent weeks, though both companies were in the process of doing so prior to the federal announcement. 

 “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,” FDA commissioner Dr. Martin Makary said in a statement. 

Public health advocates have called for the elimination of certain synthetic dyes in foods for years, citing scientific research linking consumption of the dyes to disease and to health problems including hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children. Health advocates also argue that the bright food colorings also make unhealthy foods more attractive to children.

The popularity of the  Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement associated with newly appointed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fueled the recent agency actions. 

“For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks. We’re removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives,”  Kennedy said in a statement. 

The FDA and HHS are aiming for a complete phaseout of synthetic dyes by the end of next year, a timeframe that food industry representatives said is aggressive. A key hurdle companies face in moving away from synthetic dyes is a lack of available natural dye ingredients. 

“It’s probably a solid five years out before anything calms down enough for everybody to be able to really hit these goals,” said Michelle Frame, president and founder of Victus Ars, Inc., a food development and production lab focused on sweets and making supplements and pills more palatable. 

Frame and others said newly approved ingredients will expand options for food makers but there are still issues around stability and taste, as well as likely disruptions to supply chains, recipes and manufacturing processes.

Featured image: Butterfly pea flower, one of the three natural dyes approved by the FDA, used to dye a drink.

(Credit: kattebelletje on Flickr)