FDA Allows 'No Artificial Colors' Claims With Plant-Based Dyes
FDA says products lacking petroleum-based dyes may be labeled 'no artificial colors' and approved beetroot red and expanded spirulina uses.
Overview
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said products free of petroleum-based certified color additives may bear the label "no artificial colors," and it approved beetroot red and expanded spirulina extract uses, the agency said.
The change replaces prior rules that required products to have "no added color whatsoever" to claim no artificial colors, a shift the FDA said will make it easier for companies to adopt plant-based dyes, officials said.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a joint statement the move will encourage manufacturers such as PepsiCo and Nestle to switch from synthetic dyes to natural alternatives.
Consumer Brands praised the move, Sarah Gallo, the group's senior vice president, said in a statement, while Sarah Sorscher, director of regulatory affairs for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, warned the label change could mislead consumers by covering nonpetroleum additives such as titanium dioxide.
The FDA said it currently allows about three dozen natural dyes, banned Red No. 3 in January 2025, is reviewing six remaining petroleum-based dyes (Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2), and aims to phase out synthetic dyes by Jan. 2027, agency officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this report neutrally: they balance agency statements and industry praise with consumer-safety concerns and FDA caveats. Sources include FDA and administration officials endorsing the change, a trade-group welcome, and a public-health advocate warning about titanium dioxide; the article avoids loaded language and gives competing viewpoints space.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The FDA now allows 'no artificial colors' claims on products free of petroleum-based certified color additives, even if they contain natural dyes from plants, replacing the prior rule requiring no added color at all.
The FDA approved beetroot red as a new natural dye and expanded the uses of spirulina extract for blue hues in foods.
The FDA aims to phase out the six remaining petroleum-based dyes by January 2027, following the ban on Red No. 3 in January 2025.
Supporters include HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, and Consumer Brands; critics like the Center for Science in the Public Interest warn it may mislead consumers about additives like titanium dioxide.
The dyes are Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, and Blue No. 2.
History
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