FDA Approves 3 Natural Color Additives Amid Push to Remove Artificial Food Coloring

The federal government is committed to replacing synthetic food dyes in the nation’s food supply with natural alternatives by the end of 2026.

Bottles containing a variety of colored liquids sit on a shelf in a lab at Sensient Technologies Corp., a color additive manufacturing company, in St. Louis., on April 2, 2025. Jeff Roberson/AP Photo

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three color additives derived from natural sources for use in food products, responding to increasing public concern over the health risks associated with synthetic dyes.

The agency on May 9 approved two new natural color additive options and expanded approval of a third one. They are Galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and calcium phosphate.