The Natural Food Colors the FDA Approved to Replace Dyes

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 -- With state dye bans and the FDA's own phase-out target now months away, the natural color toolkit that food makers are reformulating with was approved in 2025: galdieria extract blue, calcium phosphate and butterfly pea flower extract in May 2025, and gardenia (genipin) blue in July 2025. Here is what each one is, where it can be used, and what shoppers will see on labels.

Key takeaways:

• On May 9, 2025 the FDA approved three color additives from natural sources (galdieria extract blue, calcium phosphate, and expanded uses of butterfly pea flower extract), followed by gardenia (genipin) blue on July 14, 2025.
• The approvals support the April 2025 HHS/FDA plan to phase petroleum-based synthetic dyes out of the U.S. food supply by the end of 2026, which relies on voluntary industry commitments rather than a federal ban.
• Blue is the hardest color to source naturally; these approvals give manufacturers acid-stable and heat-stable options for drinks, candy, cereal and coatings.
• Ingredient lists are shifting from names like "FD&C Blue No. 1" to plant, algae and mineral names ahead of the 2027 state deadlines.

What happened

On May 9, 2025, the FDA announced it had approved three food colors from natural sources: galdieria extract blue, derived from the red alga Galdieria sulphuraria; butterfly pea flower extract, with expanded uses beyond its original 2021 listing; and calcium phosphate as a white colorant. Each approval was published as a final rule listing the additive under 21 CFR Part 73, the section for color additives exempt from certification (see the butterfly pea flower extract listing as an example).

On July 14, 2025 the FDA approved gardenia (genipin) blue, derived from the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides, in response to a petition from the Gardenia Blue Interest Group; in the same announcement the agency asked companies to remove FD&C Red No. 3 ahead of the January 2027 compliance date.

Both actions followed the April 22, 2025 HHS and FDA announcement of a plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of 2026. That plan is built on voluntary industry commitments and faster approvals of natural alternatives, not a federal ban; the agency also said it would partner with the National Institutes of Health on research into how food additives affect children's health and development.

What changed

The FDA maintains two primary statutory classes of color additives under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: certified colors, which are synthetically derived from petroleum derivatives, and exempt colors, which are derived from botanical, biological, or mineral sources. The latest agency actions expand the list of exempt color additives codified in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR Part 73).

Key regulatory approvals and Federal Register actions include:

• Butterfly pea flower extract (Clitoria ternatea): first listed in 2021 for beverages and certain other foods, its May 2025 final rule expanded permitted uses to ready-to-eat cereals, crackers, snack mixes, hard pretzels, and plain potato, corn, tortilla and multigrain chips (candy, dairy and frozen desserts were already covered by the 2021 listing); it produces blue, purple and green hues depending on pH.
• Galdieria extract blue: Derived from the acidophilic microalga Galdieria sulphuraria, this water-soluble blue pigment was approved in the May 2025 action for a wide range of foods including beverages, candy, cereals, frozen desserts and yogurt.
• Gardenia (genipin) blue: Derived from the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides and approved July 14, 2025 for uses such as sports drinks, flavored waters, fruit drinks, teas and candy; blended with natural yellows like turmeric it yields green shades without FD&C Green No. 3.
• Calcium phosphate: Approved as a white colorant for uses such as ready-to-eat chicken products, white candy melts, doughnut sugar and sugar for coated candies, an alternative to titanium dioxide in some applications.

Who is affected by the synthetic dye phase-out?

The transition directly impacts consumer packaged goods manufacturers, commercial ingredient suppliers, grocery retailers, and the households that buy the affected cereals, candies, drinks and frozen desserts. Major product categories currently undergoing immediate formula adjustments include ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, children's confections, fruit snacks, sports hydration beverages, and frozen desserts.

Manufacturers operating national distribution networks face converging regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions. As examined in our report on potassium bromate bans: what states have done and when, state-level statutes have prompted consumer goods companies to implement comprehensive reformulations rather than maintain fragmented state-by-state packaging lines. These federal color additive approvals provide standard, nationwide compliance options for national brands.

Pediatric populations and consumers seeking clean-label options represent the primary consumer demographic driving this change. The scale of this transition aligns with broader industry movements documented in our analysis of how food brands race to drop artificial dyes before 2027.

What it means for shoppers at the grocery store?

For everyday consumers, the primary consequence of these approvals will be noticeable changes on the ingredients statement of packaged food products. Chemical nomenclature such as "FD&C Blue No. 1," "FD&C Yellow No. 5," or "Red 40 Lake" will increasingly be replaced by plain-language agricultural and mineral names.

Shoppers can expect to see specific ingredient changes across common product lines:

• Blue and purple shades: Ingredient statements will list "Galdieria extract (color)," "butterfly pea flower extract (color)," or "spirulina extract (color)" instead of artificial blue dyes.
• Red and orange shades: Decks will feature "beetroot juice concentrate," "black carrot juice powder," or "paprika extract" in place of synthetic red dyes.
• White and opaque coatings: Confectionery glazes and icings will list "calcium phosphate" or "rice starch" to achieve opaque finishes.

Consumers should be aware that natural botanical pigments exhibit different physical properties than petroleum derivatives. Plant-based colorants are inherently more sensitive to ambient light, oxygen, and high thermal processing, meaning reformulated foods may display softer, pastel hues rather than fluorescent tones. Shelf-life color intensity may also subtly change over extended storage periods.

The background

Petroleum-based synthetic food dyes became prevalent across the commercial food supply during the twentieth century because of their low manufacturing costs, vibrant tinting strength, and exceptional thermal stability. Over subsequent decades, ongoing scientific inquiry and consumer advocacy raised concerns regarding hypersensitivity reactions and potential neurobehavioral effects in sensitive pediatric populations.

Federal regulatory momentum increased significantly after the FDA took formal steps to revoke authorization for FD&C Red No. 3 following statutory safety reviews under the Delaney Clause. This prompted coordinated petition reviews and intensified scrutiny on other widely used certified dyes, including FD&C Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5.

Historically, the transition toward natural food coloring was severely restricted by a lack of heat-stable and acid-stable natural blue pigments. Because green, purple, and brown color profiles require stable blue components, food technologists struggled to formulate natural alternatives for beverages and baked foods. The authorization of microalgal and botanical sources like Galdieria and Clitoria ternatea overcomes this technical barrier.

What to watch next for food color regulation?

As the industry approaches key 2027 transition targets, federal regulators will continue reviewing color additive petitions, supply chain scalability, and market labeling practices. Regulators are also reviewing pending petitions for novel fermentation-derived carotenoids and fungal pigments to further expand commercial options.

Key upcoming developments to track include:

• Federal Register notices finalizing outstanding petition dockets for additional fermentation-derived colorants.
• Preliminary and final data releases from joint FDA-NIH pediatric behavioral and developmental toxicology research.
• Federal compliance evaluations alongside broader safety reassessment initiatives, such as the FDA opens formal safety reassessment of BHT: what it means.
• Labeling clarity notices regarding the boundary between "exempt color additive" and "naturally derived coloring."
• Agency actions modernizing food ingredient review systems, similar to discussions surrounding the FDA proposes ending self-affirmed GRAS: what changes for You and transparency frameworks highlighted when baby food heavy-metal test results are now on the label.

Evidence limitations: Current toxicological and safety assessments evaluate newly approved natural color additives strictly within specified allowable food categories and maximum usage limits. Available regulatory and clinical evidence cannot rule out individual botanical allergies or establish definitive health outcomes across unstudied demographic groups. Consumers with specific plant or microalgal sensitivities must review the entire ingredient list on packaging.

What to do now

Consumers seeking to avoid synthetic petroleum dyes or monitor new botanical colorants can take immediate, practical steps during grocery shopping:

• Read the full ingredients list on packaged foods rather than relying entirely on front-of-package marketing banners.
• Check for specific certified dye names, including FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Red No. 40, and FD&C Blue No. 1, which indicate synthetic formulations.
• Look for named botanical and mineral colorants such as Galdieria extract, butterfly pea flower extract, beet juice concentrate, or calcium phosphate.
• If you or your family members manage known plant allergies, verify the botanical source of exempt color additives listed on the label.

To quickly verify whether packaged foods contain synthetic dyes or newly authorized botanical extracts, you can use digital label scanning tools. Scan your next label with Aurascan to check ingredients against current regulatory databases and make informed dietary choices.