The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced new regulatory steps designed to accelerate the food industry’s transition away from petroleum-based synthetic colours towards alternatives derived from natural sources.
Under the updated approach, companies will now be permitted to use "no artificial colours" labelling claims on products that do not contain petroleum-based colour additives.
Previously, such claims were generally limited to products containing no added colour at all, regardless of whether colourings were derived from natural or synthetic sources.
The FDA has notified industry of its intention to exercise enforcement discretion around these voluntary labelling claims, marking a shift aimed at reducing barriers to reformulation and encouraging wider adoption of alternative colour technologies.
In parallel, the agency has approved beetroot red as a new food colour additive and authorised expanded use of spirulina extract, an existing naturally derived colourant.
Both approvals followed industry petitions and are intended to broaden the palette of non-petroleum-based colour options available to manufacturers.
The latest decisions bring the total number of new food colour options approved under the current administration to six.
FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary said the changes are intended to address longstanding confusion around colour terminology and to remove obstacles for manufacturers exploring alternatives to synthetic dyes.
"We acknowledge that calling colours derived from natural sources ‘artificial’ might be confusing for consumers and a hindrance for companies to explore alternative food colouring options,” he stated.
"We’re taking away that hindrance and making it easier for companies to use these colours in the foods our families eat every day."
The move builds on earlier actions announced in April 2025, when the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA outlined measures to work with industry to phase out petroleum-based synthetic colours from the US food supply.
Progress towards this goal is being publicly monitored by the FDA through its tracking of industry pledges to remove petroleum-based food dyes.
Kyle Diamantas, JD, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, said the agency is continuing to prioritise faster authorisations for alternative colour sources to support industry reformulation efforts.
"We are working diligently to facilitate the industry’s phase out of petroleum-based colours and speed up authorisations for colours that are derived from alternative sources," he added.
"The actions announced today give companies even more ways to transition to the use of alternative colours derived from natural sources."
While encouraging the transition to alternative colours, the FDA has also reiterated manufacturers’ responsibility to ensure the safety and purity of authorised colour additives.
As part of the announcement, the agency issued additional guidance highlighting resources to support compliance with safety standards.
For global ingredient suppliers and finished product manufacturers, the developments signal increasing regulatory support for naturally derived colour solutions, alongside continued scrutiny of safety and quality requirements within the US market.